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Sample records for brachiopods argyrotheca cordata

  1. Larval Myogenesis in the Articulate Brachiopod Argyrotheca cordata (Risso, 1826)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Altenburger, Andreas; Wanninger, Andreas Wilhelm Georg

    2008-01-01

    Brachiopoda is a metazoan phylum with a fossil record dating back to the lower Cambrium and comprises over 12,000 extinct and 400 recent species. Despite some recent progress using mainly palaeontological and molecular datasets, the discussion concerning the phylogenetic position of Brachiopoda r...

  2. Non-terrestrial food source for Fiordland brachiopods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyon, G.L.; Richardson, Joyce

    1983-05-01

    Carbon-13 analyses were determined for brachiopods and particulate organic matter from Fiordland waters. Brachiopod delta 13 $ 0 C are about -18 per mille which is significantly enriched in 13 C relative to the particulate matter (about -23 per mille) and different from local terrestrial matter (about -28 per mille). There is no carbon-13 evidence for non-marine food in the diet of brachiopods

  3. New phenylethanoids from Buddleja cordata subsp. cordata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acevedo, L; Martínez, E; Castañeda, P; Franzblau, S; Timmermann, B N; Linares, E; Bye, R; Mata, R

    2000-04-01

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of a crude extract of the stem bark of Buddleja cordata subsp. cordata with significant antimycobacterial activity led to the isolation of a mixture composed by ten new long-chain esters of 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethanol (1-10), along with the lichen metabolites methyl beta-orcinolcarboxylate (11) and beta-orcinolcarboxylate (12). Extensive HPLC allowed the separation of the major components of the mixture, which were characterized by spectral means as 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl stearate (3), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl behenate (6), and 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl lignocerate (8). The minor esters were identified as 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl palmitate (1), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl heptadecanoate (2), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl nonadecanoate (4), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl arachidate (5), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl tricosanoate (7), 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl pentacosanoate (9), and 2[4'-hydroxyphenyl]-ethyl hexacosanoate (10) by GC-MS analysis of the methyl esters derivatives of the fatty acids obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of the mixture. Compound 8 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MIC = 64 micrograms/ml).

  4. Utilizing next generation sequencing to characterize microsatellite loci in a tropical aquatic plant species Cryptocoryne cordata var. cordata (Araceae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosazlina, Rusly; Jacobsen, Niels; Ørgaard, Marian

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Cryptocoryne cordata var. cordata (2n = 34) is an aquatic plant species distributed from the southern part of Peninsular Thailand through the Malay Peninsula. It propagates both sexually and asexually via stolons. The current study is aimed at developing nuclear microsatellite markers...

  5. Middle Ordovician brachiopods from the Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus Basin, central Australia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Kristian Grube; Brock, Glenn A.; Nielsen, Arne Thorshøj

    2014-01-01

    -water palaeoenvironment along the margin of northeastern Gondwana. The brachiopods from the Stairway Sandstone are of low diversity and represent ca 9% of the entire shelly fauna. Five brachiopod taxa are described from the Stairway Sandstone; all are endemic to the Amadeus Basin at species level. Two new species...

  6. Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Drymaria cordata (Linn.) Willd ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Also, D. cordata produced significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent inhibition of temperature elevation in the 2,4-DNP and yeast-induced hyperthermia models with ... that the aqueous whole plant extract of Drymaria cordata possesses analgesic and antipyretic properties mediated through peripheral and central mechanisms.

  7. Brachiopod biogeochemistry and isotope stratigraphy from the Rhaetian Eiberg section in Austria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korte, Christoph; Thibault, Nicolas Rudolph; Ullmann, Clemens Vinzenz

    2017-01-01

    The end-Triassic is characterized by one of the most severe biotic crises of the entire Phanerozoic, with strong carbon cycle perturbations potentially predating the biotic event. In order to improve and test the chemostratigraphic framework for the Rhaetian Stage, which culminated in the end......-Triassic extinction, a total of 675 and 108 carbonate δ13C and δ18O values have been measured from bulk rock carbonate and articulate brachiopod samples from the Rhaetian Eiberg quarry succession (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria) respectively. Both brachiopod and bulk rock oxygen isotope trends are compatible...... the calcite composing the bulk rock micrite. Significant metabolic disequilibrium effects on brachiopod carbon isotope ratios are suggested by a clear negative correlation between δ13C values and Sr/Ca ratios of the samples. Consequently, chemostratigraphy based on brachiopod Δ13C data, especially with regard...

  8. Ecological interactions on macroevolutionary time scales: clams and brachiopods are more than ships that pass in the night.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liow, Lee Hsiang; Reitan, Trond; Harnik, Paul G

    2015-10-01

    Competition among organisms has ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, whether the consequences of competition are manifested and measureable on macroevolutionary time scales is equivocal. Marine bivalves and brachiopods have overlapping niches such that competition for food and space may occur. Moreover, there is a long-standing debate over whether bivalves outcompeted brachiopods evolutionarily, because brachiopod diversity declined through time while bivalve diversity increased. To answer this question, we estimate the origination and extinction dynamics of fossil marine bivalve and brachiopod genera from the Ordovician through to the Recent while simultaneously accounting for incomplete sampling. Then, using stochastic differential equations, we assess statistical relationships among diversification and sampling dynamics of brachiopods and bivalves and five paleoenvironmental proxies. None of these potential environmental drivers had any detectable influence on brachiopod or bivalve diversification. In contrast, elevated bivalve extinction rates causally increased brachiopod origination rates, suggesting that bivalves have suppressed brachiopod evolution. © 2015 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Late Ordovician brachiopods from eastern North Greenland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian

    2013-01-01

    Late Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods, typical of the North American Red River fauna, are found sporadically in the BOrglum River Formation of the Centrum SO area, Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. The geographical distribution of this characteristic brachiopod fauna......) to younger strata exclusively yielding specimens of H.gigas. As H.gigas occurs in the upper part of the Cape Calhoun Formation in Washington Land, it indicates that the upper boundary of the Cape Calhoun Formation is considerably younger than previous estimates, reaching into the uppermost Katian (middle...... (Richmondian), it possesses a strong provincial signal during the later Ordovician. The new occurrences indicate that this fauna extended to the north-eastern margin of the Laurentian Craton. It lived in close association with cosmopolitan faunal elements that may have been the earliest sign of the succeeding...

  10. Population structure, growth and production of a recent brachiopod from the Chilean fjord region

    KAUST Repository

    Baumgarten, Sebastian

    2013-12-04

    Magellania venosa, the largest recent brachiopod, occurs in clusters and banks in population densities of up to 416 ind m-2 in Comau Fjord, Northern Chilean fjord region. Below 15 m, it co-occurs with the mytilid Aulacomya atra and it dominates the benthic community below 20 m. To determine the question of why M. venosa is a successful competitor, the in situ growth rate of the brachiopod was studied and its overall growth performance compared with that of other brachiopods and mussels. The growth in length was measured between February 2011 and March 2012 after mechanical tagging and calcein staining. Settlement and juvenile growth were determined from recruitment tiles installed in 2009 and from subsequent photocensus. Growth of M. venosa is best described by the general von Bertalanffy growth function, with a maximum shell length (L∞) of 71.53 mm and a Brody growth constant (K) of 0.336 year-1. The overall growth performance (OGP index = 5.1) is the highest recorded for a rynchonelliform brachiopod and in the range of that for Mytilus chilensis (4.8-5.27), but lower than that of A. atra (5.74). The maximal individual production (PInd) is 0.29 g AFDM ind-1 year-1 at 42 mm shell length and annual production ranges from 1.28 to 89.25 g AFDM year-1 m-2 (1-57% of that of A. atra in the respective fjords). The high shell growth rate of M. venosa, together with its high overall growth performance may explain the locally high population density of this brachiopod in Comau Fjord. However, the production per biomass of the population (P/B--ratio) is low (0.535) and M. venosa may play only a minor role in the food chain. Settling dynamics indicates that M. venosa is a pioneer species with low juvenile mortality. The coexistence of the brachiopod and bivalve suggests that brachiopod survival is affected by neither the presence of potential brachiopod predators nor that of space competitors (i.e. mytilids).

  11. Macleaya cordata Extract Decreased Diarrhea Score and Enhanced Intestinal Barrier Function in Growing Piglets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Macleaya cordata extract is of great scientific and practical interest to researchers, due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory responses within experimental animals. This study was designed to determine the diarrhea score and innate immunity of growing piglets after they had received Macleaya cordata extract supplements. A total of 240 growing pigs were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments, with 8 replicates per treatment and 10 piglets per replicate. All pigs received a basal diet containing similar amounts of nutrients. The three treatments were a control (no additive, an antibiotic (200 mg/kg colistin, and the Macleaya cordata extract supplement group (40 mg/kg Macleaya cordata extract. The diarrhea score was calculated after D 28. The jejunal samples were obtained from five piglets selected randomly from each treatment on D 28. In comparison with the control group, the dietary Macleaya cordata extract and colistin group demonstrated a substantially decreased diarrhea score. The introduction of Macleaya cordata extract supplements to the diet significantly increased volumes of ZO-1 and claudin-1, particularly in comparison with the pigs in the control group (P<0.05. The findings indicate that Macleaya cordata extract does enhance intestinal barrier function in growing piglets and that it could be used as a viable substitute for antibiotics.

  12. Cavities in bromeliad stolons used as nest sites by Euglossa cordata (Hymenoptera, Euglossini

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    Samuel Boff

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Herein, we describe nests of the orchid bee Euglossa cordata that were constructed in cavities of Aechmea distichantha (Bromeliaceae stolons. We present data about nest and cell size, number of adults and brood, and analyses of larval provisions. The presence of E. cordata carcasses embedded in the resin of nest partitions indicates that these nests were used by multiple generations. Based on larval provisioning, E. cordata is polylectic and relies heavily on a few plant species.

  13. Late Permian marine ecosystem collapse began in deeper waters: evidence from brachiopod diversity and body size changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, W-H; Shi, G R; Twitchett, R J; Zhang, Y; Zhang, K-X; Song, H-J; Yue, M-L; Wu, S-B; Wu, H-T; Yang, T-L; Xiao, Y-F

    2015-03-01

    Analysis of Permian-Triassic brachiopod diversity and body size changes from different water depths spanning the continental shelf to basinal facies in South China provides insights into the process of environmental deterioration. Comparison of the temporal changes of brachiopod diversity between deepwater and shallow-water facies demonstrates that deepwater brachiopods disappeared earlier than shallow-water brachiopods. This indicates that high environmental stress commenced first in deepwater settings and later extended to shallow waters. This environmental stress is attributed to major volcanic eruptions, which first led to formation of a stratified ocean and a chemocline in the outer shelf and deeper water environments, causing the disappearance of deep marine benthos including brachiopods. The chemocline then rapidly migrated upward and extended to shallow waters, causing widespread mass extinction of shallow marine benthos. We predict that the spatial and temporal patterns of earlier onset of disappearance/extinction and ecological crisis in deeper water ecosystems will be recorded during other episodes of rapid global warming. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. PERMIAN BRACHIOPODS FROM KARAKORUM (PAKISTAN PART. 3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LUCIA ANGIOLINI

    2001-11-01

    Full Text Available Late Wordian (Guadalupian brachiopods from Member 2 of the Panjshah Formation in the Karakorum (N Pakistan are described. The brachiopod assemblage, dated by the associated fusulinids and conodonts, consists of 29 genera (3 of which are questionable and 1 unidentifiable of the orders Productida, Orthida, Rhynchonellida, Athyridida, Spiriferida and Terebratulida. Hunzininae, a new subfamily of the Spiriferellidae is proposed; it includes Darbandia n. gen., with type species D. vagabunda n. sp. and Elivina chapursani n. sp. A third new species is assigned to the genus Anchorhynchia of the family Wellerellidae: A. cimmerica n. sp.A quantitative biostratigraphic analysis demonstrates two major faunal changes in the Elivina chapursani- Chapursania tatianae Assemblage Zone of the upper part of Member 2, which are not strictly linked to lithological changes. This biozone is correlated with the brachiopod faunas of the Gnishik Formation of Armenia and those of the basal Takhtabulak Formation of SE Pamir.The faunal elements of the Elivina chapursani- Chapursania tatianae Assemblage Zone are an admixture of wide-ranging, Tethyan (particularly abundant, Gondwanan and endemic (Cimmerian genera, representing a transitional fauna and a biostratigraphic tool for intercontinental correlation, which are particularly problematic in this time interval. The Panjshah transitional fauna demonstrates the persistence of the Transhimalayan Province of the Cimmerian Region into the late Guadalupian, which originated at the end of the Cisuralian and occupied Armenia, Central Afghanistan, Karakorum and SE Pamir. It provides also some insights into the biodiversity pattern before the mass extinction at the end of the Guadalupian, and suggests that this event was as rapid as the end- Permian mass extinction, at least in Central Asia. 

  15. [Correlation analysis of nutrients and microorganisms in soils with polyphenols and total flavonoids of Houttuynia cordata].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dan; Luo, Shi-qiong; Yang, Zhan-nan; Ma, Jing; Hong, Liang

    2015-04-01

    The relationship of nutrients and microorganisms in soils with polyphenols and total flavonoids of Houttuynia cordata were investigated by measuring nutrients, enzyme activity, pH, concentrations of microbe phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in soils, and determining concentrations of polyphenols and total flavonoids of H. cordata. The research is aimed to understand characteristics of the planting soils and improve the quality of cultivated H. cordata. The soils at different sample sites varied greatly in nutrients, enzyme activity, pH, microbic PLFAs and polyphenols and all flavonoids. The content of total PLFAs in sample sites was following: bacteria > fungi > actinomyces > nematode. The content of bacteria PLFAs was 37.5%-65.0% at different sample sites. Activities of polyphenol oxidease, concentrations of available P and content of PLFAs of bacteria, actinomyces and total microorganisms in soils were significantly and positively related to the concentrations of polyphenols and total flavonoids of H. cordata, respectively (P soils was significantly and negatively related to concentrations of polyphenols and total flavonoids of H. cordata, respectively (P soil nutrient, which may be improved due to transformation of soil microorganisms and enzymes to N and P in the soils, was beneficial to adaptation of H. cordata adapted to different soil conditions, and significantly affects metabolic accumulation of polyphenols and flavonoids of H. cordata.

  16. Therapeutic potentials of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. against inflammation and oxidative stress: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shingnaisui, Khanchuila; Dey, Tapan; Manna, Prasenjit; Kalita, Jatin

    2018-06-28

    Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Family: Saururaceae) is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows in moist and shady places. The plant is well known among the people of diverse cultures across Japan, Korea, China and North-East India for its medicinal properties. Traditionally the plant is used for its various beneficial properties against inflammation, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, muscular sprain, stomach ulcer etc. Oxidative stress and inflammation were found to be linked with most of the diseases in recent times. Many ancient texts from Chinese Traditional Medicine, Ayurveda and Siddha, and Japanese Traditional medicine have documented the efficacy of H. cordata against oxidative stress and inflammation. This review aims to provide up-to-date and comprehensive information on the efficacy of H. cordata extracts as well as its bioactive compounds both in vitro and in vivo, against oxidative stress and inflammation MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant information on H. cordata against oxidative stress and inflammation were collected from the established scientific databases such as NCBI, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, and Springer. Additionally, a few books and magazines were also consulted to get the important information. Herbal medicines or plant products were traditionally being used for treating the oxidative stress and inflammation related diseases in diverse communities across the world. Scientifically, H. cordata has shown to target several signaling pathways and found to effectively reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation. Phyto-constituents such as afzelin, hyperoside and quercitrin have shown to reduce inflammation both in vitro and in vivo models. These molecules were also shown to have strong antioxidant properties both in vivo and in vitro models. H. cordata extracts and its bioactive molecules were shown to have both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. As both in vitro and in vivo studies were shown that H. cordata

  17. Houttuynia cordata modulates oral innate immune mediators: potential role of herbal plant on oral health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satthakarn, S; Chung, W O; Promsong, A; Nittayananta, W

    2015-05-01

    Epithelial cells play an active role in oral innate immunity by producing various immune mediators. Houttuynia cordata Thunb (H. cordata), a herbal plant found in Asia, possesses many activities. However, its impacts on oral innate immunity have never been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of H. cordata extract on the expression of innate immune mediators produced by oral epithelial cells. Primary gingival epithelial cells (GECs) were treated with various concentrations of the extract for 18 h. The gene expression of hBD2, SLPI, cytokines, and chemokines was measured using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The secreted proteins in the culture supernatants were detected by ELISA or Luminex assay. Cytotoxicity of the extract was assessed using CellTiter-Blue Assay. H. cordata significantly induced the expression of hBD2, SLPI, IL-8, and CCL20 in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. The secreted hBD2 and SLPI proteins were modulated, and the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-γ were significantly induced by the extract. Our data indicated that H. cordata can modulate oral innate immune mediators. These findings may lead to the development of new topical agents from H. cordata for the prevention and treatment of immune-mediated oral diseases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. The oldest brachiopods from the lower cambrian of South Australia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Topper, Timothy Paul; Holmer, Lars E.; Skovsted, Christian B.

    2013-01-01

    The morphology and organophosphatic shell structure of the paterinate brachiopod Askepasma is documented using new and previously collected specimens from the lower Cambrian of South Australia. Lack of adequately preserved material has seen the majority of paterinate specimens previously reported...... from South Australia referred to the genus Askepasma and treated under open nomenclature. Large collections of paterinates from the lower Cambrian Wilkawillina, Ajax, and Wirrapowie limestones in the Arrowie Basin, South Australia have prompted redescription of the type species Askepasma toddense...... and the erection of a new species, Askepasma saproconcha sp. nov. Askepasma saproconcha sp. nov. currently represents the oldest known brachiopod from the lower Cambrian successions in South Australia with a FAD in pre-trilobitic (Terreneuvian, Cambrian Stage 2, lower Atdabanian) strata in the basal part...

  19. Early Ordovician (Tremadocian brachiopods from the Eastern Alborz Mountains, Iran

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    Leonid E. Popov

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Six linguliform and two rhynchonelliform brachiopods, including three new species Eurytreta ahmadii, Wahwahlingula kharbashi and Nanorthis bastamensis are described from Tremadocian strata (Paltodus deltifer deltifer conodont Biozone in the Deh-Molla area southwest of Shahrud, Northern Iran. The fauna is dominated by micromorphic lingulides and acrotretides and shows distinct similarity to the contemporaneous micromorphic brachiopod association from Tremadocian chalcedonites of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. New data on the early ontogeny of the enigmatic lingulide Diencobolus show a very distinct pattern, including the presence of a metamorphic protegulum ornamented with flat-based pits and a single pair of larval setal bundles, which links this taxon to Paterula and suggests close phylogenetic relationships of both taxa to the Discinoidea.

  20. Neuromuscular development in Novocrania anomala: evidence for the presence of serotonin and a spiralian-like apical organ in lecithotrophic brachiopod larvae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Altenburger, Andreas; Wanninger, Andreas Wilhelm Georg

    2010-01-01

    SUMMARY The phylogenetic position of Brachiopoda remains unsettled, and only few recent data on brachiopod organogenesis are currently available. In order to contribute data to questions concerning brachiopod ontogeny and evolution we investigated nervous and muscle system development in the cran......SUMMARY The phylogenetic position of Brachiopoda remains unsettled, and only few recent data on brachiopod organogenesis are currently available. In order to contribute data to questions concerning brachiopod ontogeny and evolution we investigated nervous and muscle system development...... stages. In the juveniles, the nervous system stained by a-tubulin is characterized by two ventral neurite bundles with three commissures. Our data are the first direct proof for the presence of an immunoreactive neurotransmitter in lecithotrophic brachiopod larvae and demonstrate the existence of flask...

  1. Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects of Houttuynia cordata Extract on LPS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells, and its anti-oxidant properties. ... Keywords: Houttuynia cordata, DPPH radicals, antioxidant, neuroinflammation, BV-2 cells, iNOS, ..... extracts on anaphylactic reaction and mast cell.

  2. Brachiopod associations from the Middle Ordovician of the Oslo Region, Norway

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Candela, Yves; Hansen, Thomas

    2010-01-01

    The marine upper Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) Elnes Formation of southern Norway contains very rich and diverse invertebrate faunas. Stratigraphically detailed recent collections of these well-preserved faunas have permitted a more thorough description of the various faunal groups and their pr......The marine upper Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) Elnes Formation of southern Norway contains very rich and diverse invertebrate faunas. Stratigraphically detailed recent collections of these well-preserved faunas have permitted a more thorough description of the various faunal groups...... by linguliformeans although some sections of the formation are dominated by the plectambonitoids Alwynella ildjernensis Spjeldnaes or Cathrynia aequistriata (Hadding) or by orthid brachiopods. Statistical analysis of the brachiopod fauna reveals that the general depositional trend of the Elnes Formation...... in muddy to marly deposits formed around maximal storm wave base and an orthid-dominated association representing an environment characterised by a fairly coarse or hard bottom substrate formed well above storm wave base but below fair weather wave base....

  3. Brachiopod faunas after the end Ordovician mass extinction from South China: Testing ecological change through a major taxonomic crisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Bing; Harper, David A. T.; Rong, Jiayu; Zhan, Renbin

    2017-05-01

    Classification of extinction events and their severity is generally based on taxonomic counts. The ecological impacts of such events have been categorized and prioritized but rarely tested with empirical data. The ecology of the end Ordovician extinction and subsequent biotic recovery is tracked through abundant and diverse brachiopod faunas in South China. The spatial and temporal ranges of some 6500 identified specimens, from 10 collections derived from six localities were investigated by network and cluster analyses, nonmetric multidimensional scaling and a species abundance model. Depth zonations and structure of brachiopod assemblages along an onshore-offshore gradient in the late Katian were similar to those in the latest Ordovician-earliest Silurian (post-extinction fauna). Within this ecological framework, deeper-water faunas are partly replaced by new taxa; siliciclastic substrates continued to be dominated by the more 'Ordovician' orthides and strophomenides, shallow-water carbonate environments hosted atrypides, athyridides and pentamerides, with the more typical Ordovician brachiopod fauna continuing to dominate until the late Rhuddanian. The end Ordovician extinctions tested the resilience of the brachiopod fauna without damage to its overall ecological structure; that commenced later at the end of the Rhuddanian.

  4. Mode of action of Buddleja cordata verbascoside against Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila, J G; de Liverant, J G; Martínez, A; Martínez, G; Muñoz, J L; Arciniegas, A; Romo de Vivar, A

    1999-07-01

    We evaluate the mode of action of verbascoside obtained from Buddleja cordata against Staphylococcus aureus by killing kinetics and incorporation of precursors methods. Verbascoside induced lethal effect on S. aureus, by affecting protein synthesis and inhibiting leucine incorporation.

  5. Taxonomic diversity dynamics of early cretaceous brachiopods and gastropods in the Azerbaijanian domains of the Lesser Caucasus (Neo-Tethys Ocean

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    Ruban Dmitry A.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Palaeontological data available from the Azerbaijanian domains (Somkhit-Agdam, Sevan-Karabakh, and Miskhan-Kafan tectonic zones of the Lesser Caucasus permit reconstruction of the regional taxonomic diversity dynamics of two groups of Early Cretaceous marine benthic invertebrates. Stratigraphical ranges of 31 species and 14 genera of brachiopods and 40 species and 31 genera of gastropods are considered. The total number of species and genera of brachiopods was low in the Berriasian-Valanginian and then rose to peak in the Barremian. Then, the diversity declined in the Aptian, and brachiopods are not known regionally from the Albian. Gastropods appeared in the Hauterivian and experienced a strong radiation in the Barremian. The diversity of species and genera declined in the Aptian (with a minor radiation in the Middle Aptian, and no gastropods are reported from the Albian. Globally, the number of brachiopod genera remained stable through the Early Cretaceous, and the number of gastropod genera increased stepwise with the maximum in the Albian. The regional and global patterns of the diversity dynamics differed for the both groups of marine benthic invertebrates. The Barremian maximum of the taxonomic diversity coincided with the regional flourishing of reefal ecosystems. The taxonomic diversity dynamics of brachiopods in the Azerbaijanian domains of the Lesser Caucasus is very similar to those of the Northern Caucasus, which is an evidence of proximity of these regions during the Early Cretaceous.

  6. Development of Houttuynia cordata Extract-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Oral Delivery: High Drug Loading Efficiency and Controlled Release

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    Ju-Heon Kim

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Houttuynia cordata (H. cordata has been used for diuresis and detoxification in folk medicine as well as a herbal medicine with antiviral and antibacterial activities. H. cordata extract-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (H-SLNs were prepared with various concentration of poloxamer 188 or poloxamer 407 by a hot homogenization and ultrasonication method. H-SLNs dispersion was freeze-dried with or without trehalose as a cryoprotectant. The physicochemical characteristics of H-SLNs were evaluated by dynamic laser scattering (DLS, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Additionally, the in vitro release and in vitro cytotoxicity of H-SLNs were measured. Encapsulation efficiencies of H-SLNs (as quercitrin were 92.9–95.9%. The SEM images of H-SLNs showed that H-SLNs have a spherical morphology. DSC and FT-IR showed that there were no interactions between ingredients. The increased extent of particle size of freeze-dried H-SLNs with trehalose was significantly lower than that of H-SLNs without trehalose. H-SLNs provided sustained release of quercitrin from H. cordata extracts. Cell viability of Caco-2 cells was over 70% according to the concentration of various formulation. Therefore, it was suggested that SLNs could be good carrier for administering H. cordata extracts.

  7. Prelude of benthic community collapse during the end-Permian mass extinction in siliciclastic offshore sub-basin: Brachiopod evidence from South China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huiting; He, Weihong; Weldon, Elizabeth A.

    2018-04-01

    Analysis of the Permian-Triassic palaeocommunities from basinal facies in South China provides an insight into the environmental deterioration occurring in the prelude to the mass extinction event. Quantitative and multivariate analyses on three brachiopod palaeocommunities from the Changhsingian to the earliest Triassic in basinal facies in South China have been undertaken in this study. Although the end-Permian extinction has been proved to be a one-stepped event, ecological warning signals appeared in the palaeocommunities long before the main pulse of the event. A brachiopod palaeocommunity turnover occurred in the upper part of the Clarkina changxingensis Zone, associated with a significant decrease of palaeocommunity diversity and brachiopod body size. During this turnover the dominant genera changed from Fusichonetes and Crurithyris (or/and Paracrurithyris) to the more competitive genus Crurithyris (or/and Paracrurithyris). The brachiopod palaeocommunity turnover was supposed to be triggered by the decreased marine primary productivity and increased volcanic activity. Moreover, such early warning signals are found not only in the deep-water siliceous facies, but also in the shallow-water clastic facies and carbonate rock facies in South China.

  8. Do the Available Data Permit Clarifcation of the Possible Dependence of Palaeozoic Brachiopod Generic Diversity Dynamics on Global Sea-Level Changes? A Viewpoint

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    Ruban Dmitry A.

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available At a glance, progress in palaeontology and eustatic reconstructions in the past decade permits to prove or to disprove the possible dependence of Palaeozoic brachiopod generic diversity dynamics on global sea-level changes. However, the available diversity curve is of much lower resolution than the eustatic curve. This problem can be resolved by decreasing the resolution of the latter. The other restriction linked to the chronostratigraphical incompatibility of the available data allows to focus on the Middle Palaeozoic only. A series of mass extinctions and other biotic crises in the Silurian-Devonian does not allow to interpret correctly the results of direct comparison of the brachiopod generic diversity dynamics with global sea-level changes. With the available data, it is only possible to hypothesize that the eustatic control was not playing a major part in diversity dynamics of Middle Palaeozoic brachiopods. The resolution of the stratigraphic ranges of Palaeozoic brachiopods should be increased signifcantly, and these ranges should be plotted against the most up-to-date geologic time scale. Until this task will be achieved, it is impossible to judge about the existence of any dependence (either full or partial of the Palaeozoic brachiopod diversity dynamics on global sea-level changes.

  9. Growth increments of the recent brachiopod Magellania venosa mechanically marked in Paso Comau and Comau Fjord, Chile, 2011/2012, supplement to: Baumgarten, Sebastian; Laudien, Jürgen; Jantzen, Carin; Häussermann, Verena; Försterra, Günter (2013): Population structure, growth and production of a recent brachiopod from the Chilean fjord region. Marine Ecology, 35(4), 401-413

    KAUST Repository

    Baumgarten, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    Magellania venosa, the largest recent brachiopod, occurs in clusters and banks in population densities of up to 416 ind/m**2 in Comau Fjord, Northern Chilean fjord region. Below 15 m, it co-occurs with the mytilid Aulacomya atra and it dominates the benthic community below 20 m. To determine the question of why M. venosa is a successful competitor, the in situ growth rate of the brachiopod was studied and its overall growth performance compared with that of other brachiopods and mussels. The growth in length was measured between February 2011 and March 2012 after mechanical tagging and calcein staining. Settlement and juvenile growth were determined from recruitment tiles installed in 2009 and from subsequent photocensus. Growth of M. venosa is best described by the general von Bertalanffy growth function, with a maximum shell length (Linf) of 71.53 mm and a Brody growth constant (K) of 0.336/year. The overall growth performance (OGP index = 5.1) is the highest recorded for a rynchonelliform brachiopod and in the range of that for Mytilus chilensis (4.8-5.27), but lower than that of A. atra (5.74). The maximal individual production (PInd) is 0.29 g AFDM/ind/year at 42 mm shell length and annual production ranges from 1.28 to 89.25 g AFDM/year/m**2 (1-57% of that of A. atra in the respective fjords). The high shell growth rate of M. venosa, together with its high overall growth performance may explain the locally high population density of this brachiopod in Comau Fjord. However, the production per biomass of the population (P/B-ratio) is low (0.535) and M. venosa may play only a minor role in the food chain. Settling dynamics indicates that M. venosa is a pioneer species with low juvenile mortality. The coexistence of the brachiopod and bivalve suggests that brachiopod survival is affected by neither the presence of potential brachiopod predators nor that of space competitors (i.e. mytilids).

  10. Brachiopods and rugose corals in an upper Serpukhovian (Mississippian) biostrome: preliminary results from the Djebel Arhlal (Bechar Basin, Algeria)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atif, K. F. T.; Aretz, M.; Legrand-Biain, M.; Bouzidi, A.; Aimouche, M.

    2016-10-01

    The Djebel Arhlal is the southernmost outcrop of upper Serpukhovian strata in the Bechar Basin. Here the Djenien member of the Djenien Formation is three-folded and it contains a 10 m-thick coral biostrome in its middle unit formed by Siphonodendron, Diphyphyllum and Lithostrotion. Distances between in situ colonies are in the order of several decimetres and the space between them is filled with bioclastic limestone containing coral rubble. Few brachiopods and solitary corals are found as dwellers within the biostrome, but these groups are much more common in the strata below and above the coral biostrome. This is especially true for the brachiopods, which reach diversities of more than a dozen species in specific horizons. They mainly belong to the orders Productida, Spiriferida and Athyridida. Agitated open-marine platform interior or platform margin settings are the general facies encountered in the Djenien member at the Djebel Arhlal. The field data, including brachiopod coquinas and many fragmented brachiopods and corals, are confirmed by microfacies analysis. However, the coral biostrome records a quieter setting at the interface of middle and outer ramp settings, as seen in the co-existence of in situ coral growth, input of reworked material, deposition of carbonate mud, and sparitic textures. This autoparabiostrome at Djebel Arhlal is compared to other rather thick and of exceptional horizontal extension upper Serpukhovian biostromes (few kilometres). (Author)

  11. Microstructural growth increments in the brachiopods Liothyrella uva and L. neozelanica: preliminary study of growth analysis and proxy calibration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanin, Marco; Aleksandra Bitner, Maria; Brand, Uwe

    2017-04-01

    Brachiopods secrete low-Mg calcite shells in near equilibrium with the surrounding sea water, with respect to their secondary and tertiary layers. For this reason, in recent years they have been intensively studied as archives for oceanographic and environmental proxies. The primary layer has been shown not to be deposited in equilibrium with the ambient sea water, leading to a novel cleaning protocol proposed by Zaki et al (2015). In the spite of improving on existing proxies, the shell microstructure and growth has to be taken in to account in their applications. The secretion of the primary layer is known to be external of the shell, but in SEM investigations of Liothyrella uva and L. neozelanica we discovered that the primary layer has its origin within the fibres of the secondary layer. Furthermore, the primary layer calcite is not a continuum but instead it consists of a 'new' band for each major growth increment. There is overlap between the preceding and subsequent 'band' (or shingles) of the primary layer, which may extend into the secondary/tertiary layer. This finding may lead to more comprehensive knowledge of shell microstructure processes in L. uva and L. neozelanica that may be applied and extended to other modern and fossil brachiopods, including age dating of brachiopods. This discovery may make brachiopod archives more reliable and consistent proxies when applied to and interpreting their geological record.

  12. The eoorthid brachiopod Apheoorthina in the Lower Ordovician of NW Argentina and the dispersal pathways along western Gondwana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego F. Muñoz

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The eoorthid brachiopod Apheoorthina is reported for the first time from the Lower Ordovician of NW Argentina. It is represented by a species similar to A. ferrigena from the Tremadocian of the Prague Basin, increasing the faunal affinities between the Central Andean Basin and the South European microcontinents, in particular the Bohemian region (Perunica. Nine out of the fourteen brachiopod genera reported from the Tremadocian of the Central Andean Basin (~64% are shared with the Mediterranean region, four of which (~28% have been recorded in the Prague Basin, and two (Kvania and Apheoorthina are restricted to the Central Andes and Perunica. Dispersal pathways around Gondwana are analyzed in the light of major factors affecting large-scale distribution of brachiopods (environment, larval capacity for dispersal, oceanic currents. The presence in Apheoorthina aff. ferrigena of a well-preserved larval protegulum measuring 420 μm in width and 210 μm in length strongly suggests that this species had planktotrophic larvae capable of long-distance dispersal. According to recent ocean-atmosphere general circulation models for the Ordovician Period, the Central Andean margin was dominated by the cold-water Antarctica Current. Despite the complex non-zonal pattern produced by current deflections around the peri-Gondwanan microcontinents, the general westward circulation sense favoured larval dispersal from the Andean region to North Africa, Avalonia, the Armorican Terrane Assemblage, and Perunica. On the other hand, the eastwards flowing Gondwana Current connected the North Gondwana waters with the South American epicontinental seas, which could explain the reversed migration of some brachiopods.

  13. 87Sr/86Sr ratios in permo-carboniferous sea water from the analyses of well-preserved brachiopod shells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popp, B.N.; Anderson, T.F.

    1986-01-01

    Sr isotopic analyses of well-preserved portions of Permo-Carboniferous brachiopods distributed globally confirm the general shape of the Sr isotope age curve established by previous workers for this time interval. There is little variation between the SR isotopic composition of unaltered portions of brachiopods and that of portions of the same shell interpreted to be diagenetically altered (based on cathodoluminescence, elemental, and stable isotopic data). However, the Sr isotopic composition in diagenetically altered micritic matrix adjacent to the shell is more radiogenic. The Sr isotopic composition in the unaltered portions of calcitic megafossils has potential as a stratigraphic tool. (author)

  14. Population structure, growth and production of a recent brachiopod from the Chilean fjord region

    KAUST Repository

    Baumgarten, Sebastian; Laudien, Jü rgen; Jantzen, Carin; Hä ussermann, Verena; Fö rsterra, Gü nter

    2013-01-01

    -57% of that of A. atra in the respective fjords). The high shell growth rate of M. venosa, together with its high overall growth performance may explain the locally high population density of this brachiopod in Comau Fjord. However, the production per biomass

  15. Decadal climate variation recorded in modern global carbonate archives (brachiopods, molluscs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanin, Marco; Zaki, Amir H.; Davis, Alyssa; Shaver, Kristen; Wang, Lisha; Aleksandra Bitner, Maria; Capraro, Luca; Preto, Nereo; Brand, Uwe

    2017-04-01

    The progress of the Earth's warming trend has rapidly accelerated in the last few decades due to the increase in emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The exchange of heat between the atmosphere and seawater has consequently elevated the rate of temperature buildup in the low and high latitude ocean. Records of the variation in seawater temperature in response to local and global changes in climate are preserved within the carbonate structures of marine biogenic archives. Investigating the isotopic composition of the archives' growth increments documents the magnitude of sea surface temperature (SST) change. A long-term (1956-2012) record of temperature change in sub-tropical seawater was acquired from the giant clam Tridacna maxima collected from the Red Sea in conjunction with published results of the oyster Hyotissa hyotis (Titschack et al., 2010). Variation in polar-subpolar SST was obtained from the brachiopod Magellania venosa recovered from the coastal area of southern Chile, and from the proxy record of Hemithiris psittacea of Hudson Bay (Brand et al., 2014). The former reveals a long-term (1961-2012) time-series of Antarctic-induced oceanographic change in the southern hemisphere, while the latter represents a trend of Hudson Bay seawater SST in the northern hemisphere. Evaluation of the isotopic compositions confirms the equilibrium incorporation of oxygen isotopes with respect to ambient seawater in brachiopods and some bivalves. A general trend of decreasing δ18O values in the Red Sea molluscs is observed, indicating an increase in tropical seawater temperature of about 0.79°C since 1988. The δ18O values of the polar-subpolar brachiopods display similar depletion slopes but of larger magnitudes than that of the Red Sea archives. This signifies a rise in seawater temperature of about 1.47°C in Hudson Bay since 1991, and about 2.08°C in southern Chile since 1988. The 2013 IPCC report suggests an increase in SST of +0.094°C per decade (average

  16. Phylogenetic paleobiogeography of Late Ordovician Laurentian brachiopods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer E. Bauer

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic biogeographic analysis of four brachiopod genera was used to uncover large-scale geologic drivers of Late Ordovician biogeographic differentiation in Laurentia. Previously generated phylogenetic hypotheses were converted into area cladograms, ancestral geographic ranges were optimized and speciation events characterized as via dispersal or vicariance, when possible. Area relationships were reconstructed using Lieberman-modified Brooks Parsimony Analysis. The resulting area cladograms indicate tectonic and oceanographic changes were the primary geologic drivers of biogeographic patterns within the focal taxa. The Taconic tectophase contributed to the separation of the Appalachian and Central basins as well as the two midcontinent basins, whereas sea level rise following the Boda Event promoted interbasinal dispersal. Three migration pathways into the Cincinnati Basin were recognized, which supports the multiple pathway hypothesis for the Richmondian Invasion.

  17. Biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeography of Ordovician rhynchonelliform brachiopods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harper, David A. T.; Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Liljeroth, Maria

    2013-01-01

    -levels were high. Pivotal to the entire diversification is the role of gamma (inter-provincial) diversity and by implication the spread of the continents and frequency of island arcs and microcontinents. The phylogeographical analysis demonstrates that this new palaeogeographical configuration...... with local biodiversity epicentres, notably on the South China Palaeoplate; low-latitude porambonitoid-dominated faunas with early plectambonitoid and clitambonitoid representatives, as well as high-latitude assemblages mostly dominated by orthoids, can be recognized, but many taxa are rooted in Late......The phylogeographical evolution and the consequent changing distribution and diversity of rhynchonelliform brachiopods through the Ordovician are linked to the dynamic palaeogeography of the period. The Early Ordovician (Tremadocian and Floian) is characterized by globally low-diversity faunas...

  18. Potency of Centrocema pubescence, Calopogonium mucunoides, and Micania cordata for cleaning metal contaminants of gold mines waste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NURIL HIDAYATI

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on some findings that some plants are tolerant to contaminated media, this research was conducted to study more thoroughly about characters and potencies of some of them as hyperaccumulators. Three of the most tolerant plants were studied in this research i.e Centrocema pubescence, Calopogonium mucunoides,and Micania cordata. The plants were grown in different waste media, i.e. tailing from PT. Aneka Tambang (ANTAM and people mine waste. Both waste have different characters, physically and chemically. Waste of PT ANTAM major contaminant was cianide (Cn whereas people mine waste major contaminant was mercury (Hg. This different characters resulted in different plant responses. The plants grown under PT ANTAM waste media gave better performance than that grown under people mine waste media. The most tolerant species was C. pubescence followed by M. cordata and C. mucunoides. Ability in metal accumulation of C. mucunoides was the highest, followed by M. cordata and C. pubescence.The results raised some-prospects for phytoremediation technology for rehabilitating contaminated mined lands.

  19. A Review of the Characteristics of Small-Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata Mill. and Their Implications for Silviculture in a Changing Climate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanguy De Jaegere

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Tilia cordata Mill. is a minor European broadleaved species with a wide but scattered distribution. Given its scarcity and low value in the wood market, it has received little attention from researchers and forest managers. This review summarizes the main aspects of T. cordata ecology and growth. Its main limiting factor is its need for warm summer temperatures to ensure successful seed production. It has a height growth pattern relatively similar to that of Acer pseudoplatanus L., with a slight delay in the early stages. Yield tables report great productivity, especially in eastern Europe. T. cordata used to be a major species in Europe, in contrast to its present distribution, but it is very likely to receive renewed interest in the future. Indeed, with the potential change of competition between species in some regions and the need for important diversification in others, T. cordata may play an important role in forest adaptation to climate change, especially owing to its wide ecological tolerance and its numerous ecosystem services. It is necessary to increase our knowledge about its regeneration and its responses to environmental and silvicultural factors, to establish clear management recommendations.

  20. Late Ordovician palaeogeography and the positions of the Kazakh terranes through analysis of their brachiopod faunas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popov, Leonid E.; Cocks, Robin M.

    2017-09-01

    Detailed biogeographical and biofacies analyses of the Late Ordovician brachiopod faunas with 160 genera, grouped into 94 faunas from individual lithotectonic units within the Kazakh Orogen strongly support an archipelago model for that time in that area. The Kazakh island arcs and microcontinents within several separate clusters were located in the tropics on both sides of the Equator. Key units, from which the Late Ordovician faunas are now well known, include the Boshchekul, Chingiz-Tarbagatai, and Chu-Ili terranes. The development of brachiopod biogeography within the nearly ten million year time span of the Late Ordovician from about 458 to 443 Ma (Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian), is supported by much new data, including our revised identifications from the Kazakh Orogen and elsewhere. The Kazakh archipelago was west of the Australasian segment of the Gondwana Supercontinent, and relatively near the Tarim, South China and North China continents, apart from the Atashu-Zhamshi Microcontinent, which probably occupied a relatively isolated position on the south-western margin of the archipelago. Distinct faunal signatures indicate that the Kazakh terranes were far away from Baltica and Siberia throughout the Ordovician. Although some earlier terranes had joined each other before the Middle Ordovician, the amalgamation of Kazakh terranes into the single continent of Kazakhstania by the end of the Ordovician is very unlikely. The Late Ordovician brachiopods from the other continents are also compared with the Kazakh faunas and global provincialisation statistically determined.

  1. Effects of medicinal herbs "Plantago asiatica", "Houttuynia cordata" and "Mentha haplocalyx" on non-specific immune responses of cobia (Rachycentron canadum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yu-Sheng; Chen, Yin-Yu; Ueng, Pien-Sheng; Nan, Fan-Hua

    2016-11-01

    This study investigated the effects of orally administered Plantago asiatica, Houttuynia cordata, and Mentha haplocalyx on the growth and nonspecific immune responses of cobia (Rachycentron canadum). The nonspecific immune parameters assessed were weight gain, feed conversion ratio, superoxide anion (O 2 - ) production, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, phagocytic rate, phagocytic index, lysozyme activity, serum albumin and globulin, and albumin:globulin (A/G) ratio. The growth experiment indicated that 6-week dietary treatments did not significantly affect on the growth of cobia. Nonspecific immune responses showed that O 2 - production, SOD and lysozyme activity, and phagocytosis were significantly increased after the oral administration of P. asiatica and H. cordata, and the serum albumin:globulin ratio (A/G) gradually decreased. In this study, treatment of the Mentha haplocalyx on the cobia didn't present with the inducing of the phagocytosis ability compared with the treatment of P. asiatica and H. cordata. We suggest that oral administration of the 10 g/kg or 20 g/kg of the P. asiatica and H. cordata is exactly inducing the phagocytosis, ROS production, lysozyme activity and SOD production in the cobia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Element/Ca, C and O isotope ratios in modern brachiopods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ullmann, C. V.; Frei, Robert; Korte, Christoph

    2017-01-01

    Fossil brachiopods are of major importance for the reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions, particularly of the Paleozoic. In order to better understand signals of ancient shell materials, modern analogue studies have to be conducted. Here we present C and O isotope data in conjunction...... with ambient seawater. Some species – especially in the suborder Terebratellidina – show partly distinct disequilibrium signals, suggesting some degree of phylogenetic control on the expression of vital effects. Mn/Ca and Fe/Ca ratios measured in the modern species form a baseline to assess fossil preservation...

  3. Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chun-Mei; Yang, Xiao-Yong; Zhong, Yi-Rong; Yu, Jian-Ping

    2016-01-01

    The essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata R.Br. obtained by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sixty-eight compounds consisting of up to 92.53% of the essential oil were identified. Antioxidant activities of the essential oil were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. The essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity. In addition, the essential oil exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms, with diameters of inhibition zones ranging from 8.7 ± 0.5 to 17.2 ± 1.2 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration values from 125 to 500 μg/mL. We selected the most sensitive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus as model to observe of the action of essential oils of M. cordata on the membrane structure by scanning electron microscopy. The treated cell membranes were damaged severely. The results presented here indicate that the essential oil of M. cordata may be potential sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in the future.

  4. Cadmium accumulation and tolerance of Macleaya cordata: a newly potential plant for sustainable phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Jian; Liu, Yunguo; Zeng, Guangming; Zheng, Bohong; Tan, Xiaofei; Liu, Huan; Xie, Jieli; Gan, Chao; Liu, Wei

    2016-05-01

    Heavy metal pollution is a major concern of the public due to their threats to the safety of food chains. A 60-day pot experiment was conducted using Macleaya cordata as plant material to investigate the phytoremediation potential and anti-oxidative responses of M. cordata under different Cd stress. Significant growth inhibition phenomenon and toxic symptoms were not detected in the experiment. The high biomass of the plant provided high accumulation capacity for Cd with an average dry weight of 3.6 g. The maximum extraction amount of Cd was 393 μg·plant(-1), suggesting that this species had potential for phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil. A slight increase of chlorophyll (CHL) content was observed in Cd10 treatment. The plant was confirmed to have relatively high tolerance to the Cd stress on the basis of tolerance indexes (TI), relative water content, and CHLa/CHLb ratio. M. cordata could maintain high level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity under Cd stress, indicating strong tolerance capacity for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells. Catalase (CAT) activity show a certain range of decline in the experiment compare to the control. And peroxidase (POD) activity in leaves changed irregularly when compared to the control. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased as Cd concentration elevated compared to the control. In addition, as an inedible crop with relatively high economic value, M. cordata have shown the advantage of high biomass and high tolerance under Cd stress, which can provide a new plant resource for sustainable phytoremediation.

  5. Protective effect of Sida cordata leaf extract against CCl(4) induced acute liver toxicity in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistry, Sunil; Dutt, K R; Jena, J

    2013-04-13

    To investigate the hepatoprotective potential of Sida cordata (Malvaceae) (S. cordata) in experimental rats to validate its traditional claim. Wister albino rats were divided into 6 groups: Group I served as control; Group II served as hepatotoxic (CCl(4) treated) group; Group III, IV and V served as (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w.) S. cordata leaf extract (SCLE) treated groups; Group VI served as positive control (Silymarin) treated group. Liver marker enzymes serum glutamate oxyloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, pancreatic enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxidation, catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured and compared along with histopathological studies. Obtained results show that the treatment with SCLE significantly (P<0.05-<0.001) and dose-dependently reduced CCl4 induced elevated serum level of hepatic enzymes. Furthermore, SCLE significantly (up to P<0.001) reduced the lipid peroxidation in the liver tissue and restored activities of defence antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD and CAT towards normal levels, which was confirmed by the histopathological studies. The results of this study strongly indicate the protective effect of SCLE against CCl(4) induced acute liver toxicity in rats and thereby scientifically support its traditional use. Copyright © 2013 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Antidiabetic effect of Sida cordata in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Naseer Ali; Khan, Muhammad Rashid

    2014-01-01

    Medicinal plants are efficient ameliorator of oxidative stress associated with diabetes mellitus. In this study, ethyl acetate fraction (SCEE) of Sida cordata was investigated for scientific validation of its folk use in diabetes. Antidiabetic effect of SCEE was confirmed by antihyperglycemic activity in normal glucose loaded and diabetic glucose loaded animals as well as normal off feed animals. Confirmation of antidiabetic activity and toxicity ameliorative role of S. cordata was investigated in a chronic multiple dose treatment study of fifteen days. A single dose of alloxan (120 mg/kg) produced a decrease in insulin level, hyperglycemia, elevated total lipids, triglycerides, and cholesterol and decreased the high-density lipoproteins. Concurrent with these changes, there was an increase in the concentration of lipid peroxidation (TBARS), H2O2, and nitrite in pancreas, liver, and testis. This oxidative stress was related to a decrease in glutathione content (GSH) and antioxidant enzymes. Administration of SCEE for 15 days after diabetes induction ameliorated hyperglycemia, restored lipid profile, blunted the increase in TBARS, H2O2, and nitrite content, and stimulated the GSH production in the organs of alloxan-treated rats. We suggested that SCEE could be used as antidiabetic component in case of diabetes mellitus. This may be related to its antioxidative properties.

  7. Brachiopods and stratigraphy of the Upper Devonian (Frasnian) succession of the Radlin Syncline (Holy Cross Mountains, Poland)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baliński, Andrzej; Racki, Grzegorz; Halamski, Adam T.

    2016-06-01

    The lower part of the Frasnian succession in the Radlin Syncline (Kielce-Łagów Synclinorium, southern region of the Holy Cross Mountains), in the two studied successions: Józefka at Górno and (for the first time) Radlin, consists of the rhythmic marly Szydłówek Beds, the fossil-rich limestones of the Wietrznia Beds (locally) and the atypically developed, calcareous Kostomłoty Beds. The carbon isotope chemostratigraphic pattern overall corresponds well to the global Early-Middle Frasnian biogeochemical perturbation, even if the major punctata positive excursion is only fragmentarily recorded in the Kostomłoty intrashelf basin. Two brachiopod assemblages are abundantly represented in both sections: the Phlogoiderhynchus polonicus Assemblage, typical of the Szydłówek Beds, and the Biernatella lentiformis Assemblage, limited to the middle part of the Wietrznia Beds. Both are highly dominated by the index species. Twenty nine lower Frasnian brachiopod species (Craniida - 1 species, Strophomenida - 1, Productida - 2, Protorthida - 1, Orthida - 5, Pentamerida - 1, Rhynchonellida - 4, Atrypida - 4, Athyridida - 3, Spiriferida - 4, Spiriferinida - 3) are described from the Szydłówek and Wietrznia Beds. Seven new species are introduced: Skenidioides cretus Halamski sp. nov., Biernatium minus Baliński sp. nov., Monelasmina montisjosephi Baliński sp. nov., Atryparia (Costatrypa) agricolae Halamski and Baliński sp. nov., Davidsonia enmerkaris Halamski sp. nov., Leptathyris gornensis Baliński sp. nov., and Echinocoelia parva Baliński sp. nov. Davidsonia enmerkaris Halamski sp. nov. is intermediate between Davidsonia Bouchard-Chantereaux, 1849 and Rugodavidsonia Copper, 1996 and is the youngest known representative of the suborder Davidsonioidea Copper, 1996. Skenidioides cretus Halamski sp. nov. is the last representative of the genus. Statistical investigation of a large sample of Spinatrypina (Exatrypa) explanata did not confirm the existence of two dimorphic

  8. Simultaneous quantification of eight bioactive components of Houttuynia cordata and related Saururaceae medicinal plants by on-line high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Jiang; Leung, Kelvin Sze-Yin; Dong, Xiao-Ping; Zhou, Yi-Sheng; Jiang, Zhi-Hong; Zhao, Zhong-Zhen

    2009-12-01

    An on-line high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detector (DAD)-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) method has been developed to quantify simultaneously eight bioactive chemical components in Houttuynia cordata Thunb and related Saururaceae medicinal plants. Simultaneous separation of these eight compounds was achieved on a C(18) analytical column with gradient elution of acetonitrile and 0.2% acetic acid (v/v) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min and being detected at 280 nm. These eight compounds were completely separated within 90 min. Good linear regression relationship (r(2)>0.9978) within test ranges was shown in all calibration curves. Good repeatabilty for the quantification of these eight compounds in H.cordata was also demonstrated in this method, with intra- and inter-day variations less than 3.0%. The method established was successfully applied to quantify eight bioactive compounds in closely related species of H.cordata, which provides a new basis for quality assessment of H.cordata.

  9. Study on Medicinal Plant Active Substances Extraction and Antibacterial Activity of Houttuynia Cordata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yubin, Ji; Junjun, Yang; Miao, Yu; Yue, Cao; Shizhen, Guo; Anna, Qiao

    2017-12-01

    This study was about the effective component extraction from Houttuynia cordata by steam distillation and antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The extraction of Herba Houttuyniae extract of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were certain inhibitory effect of, which inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus the most obvious.

  10. Mollusc and brachiopod skeletal hardparts: Problematic archives of past seawater properties (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Immenhauser, A.; Schone, B. R.; Hoffmann, R.; Niedermayr, A.

    2013-12-01

    Biomineralized exo- or endoskeletons of fossil marine invertebrates are widespread and diverse components of the Phanerozoic rock record of Earth's past and present oceans. Exoskeletons serve as protection against environmental pressure or predators, whilst endoskeletons may act as support or serves as an attachment for muscles and ligaments and hence as a mechanism for transmitting muscular forces. Biogenic hardparts represent sophisticated products resulting from the hierarchical interaction of inorganic minerals (95%) and macromolecular organic matrix, forming commonly less than 5%. The significance of biogenic carbonate archives lies in the time-resolved growth-increments and their respective multi-proxy geochemical signatures that have been widely used to assess past oceanic seawater properties. We here compile and review published work dealing with crystallization pathways of skeletal hardparts secreted by molluscs (i.e., bivalves and cephalopods) as well as brachiopods as widely used archives of ancient neritic epeiric settings. Bivalves and cephalopods (e.g., extinct ammonoids and belemnites and extant Sepia, Nautilus and Spirula) all form accretionary calcitic, aragonitic or vateritic skeletal hardparts. Despite the fact that molluscs and brachiopods form part of very different branches of the animal phylogenetic tree, their biomineralization strategies are surprisingly similar. Our main focus lies in a critical assessment of the complex pathways of ions and aquo-complexes from their source (seawater) to the final product (biomineral). We do this as an attempt to critically test the commonly held hypothesis that many fossil shell hardparts precipitated, under favourable conditions and pending subsequent diagenetic alteration, in equilibrium with seawater. Two main observations stand out: (1) the present knowledge on pathways and mechanisms (e.g., ion channel trans-membrane or endocytosis and vesicle transport, precursor mineralogies etc.) is surprisingly

  11. Inferring seawater temperature over the past 2,500 years in the Southern California Bight on the basis of brachiopods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomašových, Adam; Müller, Tamás; Kidwell, Susan M.

    2017-04-01

    Use of calcite δ18O in brachiopod shells in assessing past variations in seawater temperature remains poorly constrained in the absence of other methods due to vital effects and unknown variations in seawater density, salinity. Here, in order to evaluate past changes in seawater temperature of mainland shelf habitats off the Southern California Bight over the past 2,500 years, we analyze δ18O and Mg/Ca ratio of dead shells of the terebratulid brachiopod Laqueus erythraeus collected at 60-80 m water depths and age-dated by radiocarbon-calibrated amino acid racemization. These dead Holocene shells show excellent preservation (Mn concentrations < 10 ppm and Sr concentrations above 800 ppm). Although historical changes in sea-surface temperature in the southern California Bight were inferred on the basis of alkenones and δ18O in of planktonic foraminifers, temperature history of deeper shelf below storm wave base in this region remains unclear. First, we investigate thermal sensitivity of Mg/Ca ratio (using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and wavelength-dispersive spectrometry) in the terebratulid brachiopod Laqueus erythraeus (collected in 1994 at Santa Catalina Island at 116 m water depth). At this depth, annual temperature range is relatively small (between 9-11°C), although at times of El Nino events in 1982-1983, 1986-1987, and 1992-1993, monthly temperature attained 13 °C. We find that δ18O measured along a growth profile of a shell precipitated in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with ambient seawater, and maxima in Mg/Ca ratio coincide with minima in δ18O, suggesting that fluctuations in Mg/Ca ratio trace temperature fluctuations, as observed also in other brachiopod species. Second, preliminary observations of Holocene shells show that Mg/Ca ratios show centennial-scale fluctuations but on average remain remarkably constant, with minima and maxima staying within intra-shell seasonal variations captured by extant specimens

  12. Resolving early Mid-Ordovician (Kundan) bioevents in the East Baltic based on brachiopods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Christian Mac Ørum; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

    2008-01-01

    Bed-by-bed sampling of brachiopods from selected Kundan Stage localities in the East Baltic has permitted the construction of a-diversity curves, unprecedented in detail from this particular stage and region. These a-diversity curves can be correlated between the investigated sections, along...... an east to west transect of some 200 km and indicate bioevents associated with intervals of increased palaeo-water depth. The highest peaks in a-diversity occur when biofacies analysis and sedimentological evidence indicate drowning events. The events involve mainly taxa endemic to the Baltic province...

  13. Investigation on flavonoid composition and anti free radical potential of Sida cordata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Naseer Ali; Khan, Muhammad Rashid; Ahmad, Bushra; Noureen, Farah; Rashid, Umbreen; Khan, Rahmat Ali

    2013-10-22

    Sida cordata, a member of Family Malvaceae is used in folk medicine for various ailments including liver diseases. In this study we investigated, its flavonoid constituents, in vitro antioxidant potential against different free radicals and hepatoprotection against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage in rat. Dried powder of S. cordata whole plant was extracted with methanol and the resultant (SCME) obtained was fractionated with escalating polarity to obtain n-hexane fraction (SCHE), ethyl acetate fraction (SCEE), n-butanol fraction (SCBE) and the remaining soluble portion as aqueous fraction (SCAE). Diverse in vitro antioxidants assays such as DPPH, H2O2, •OH, ABTS, β-carotene bleaching assay, superoxide radical, lipid peroxidation, reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity were studied to assess scavenging potential of methanol extract and its derived fractions. On account of marked scavenging activity SCEE was selected to investigate the hepatoprotective potential against CCl4 induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley male rats by assessing the level of serum markers (alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, and γ-glutamyltransferase) and of liver antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione-S-transfers (GST), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS). Histology of the liver was performed to study alteration in histoarchitecture. Existence of active flavonoids was established by thin layer chromatographic studies. Considerable amount of flavonoid and phenolic contents were recorded in the methanol extract and its derived fractions. Although the extract and all its derived fractions exhibited good antioxidant activities however, the most distinguished scavenging potential was observed for SCEE. Treatment of SCEE decreased the elevated level of serum

  14. An Effective Quality Control of Pharmacologically Active Volatiles of Houttuynia cordata Thunb by Fast Gas Chromatography-Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Se Yeon

    2015-06-03

    Fast gas chromatography-surface acoustic wave sensor (GC/SAW) has been applied for the detection of the pharmacological volatiles emanated from Houttuynia cordata Thunb which is from South Korea. H. cordata Thunb with unpleasant and fishy odors shows a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and insect repellent. The aim of this study is to show a novel quality control by GC/SAW methodology for the discrimination of the three different parts of the plant such as leaves, aerial stems, and underground stems for H. cordata Thunb. Sixteen compounds were identified. β-Myrcene, cis-ocimene and decanal are the dominant volatiles for leaves (71.0%) and aerial stems (50.1%). While, monoterpenes (74.6%) are the dominant volatiles for underground stems. 2-Undecanone (1.3%) and lauraldehyde (3.5%) were found to be the characteristic components for leaves. Each part of the plant has its own characteristic fragrance pattern owing to its individual chemical compositions. Moreover, its individual characteristic fragrance patterns are conducive to discrimination of the three different parts of the plant. Consequently, fast GC/SAW can be a useful analytical method for quality control of the different parts of the plant with pharmacological volatiles as it provides second unit analysis, a simple and fragrant pattern recognition.

  15. A bradoriid and brachiopod dominated shelly fauna from the furongian (Cambrian) of Västergötland, Sweden

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Topper, Timothy Paul; Skovsted, Christian B.; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

    2013-01-01

    A small assemblage of shelly fossils, dominated by the brachiopod Treptotreta jucunda and the bradoriid arthropod Mongolitubulus aspermachaera new species is described from a Furongian limestone of Västergötland, south-central Sweden. Mongolitubulus aspermachaera is represented in the assemblage ...... include typical Baltic Furongian representatives, such as the trilobite Parabolina, the agnostoid Agnostus and the phosphatocopids Hesslandona and Vestrogothia....

  16. Conditioned food aversion to control outbreaks of intoxication by Ipomoea carnea and Turbina cordata in goats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conditioned food aversion is used to train livestock to avoid the ingestion of toxic plants. This technique was used to control Turbina cordata poisoning in goats in one farm, and to control Ipomoea carnea subsp. istulosa poisoning in another farm. The goats were penned at night and the next mornin...

  17. Optimum storage and germination conditions for seeds of pickerelweed (Pontetieria cordata L.) from Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyn A. Gettys; R. Kasten Dumroese

    2009-01-01

    Clean seeds of pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata L. [Pontederiaceae]) germinated best (84 to 94%) under water, even after being stored dry up to 6 mo at about 25 °C (77 °F), but germination of clean seeds under water was reduced to 43% when seeds were stored at 4 °C (39 3 F) for 6 mo. Underwater germination of seeds enclosed in fruits was less...

  18. Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM of brachiopod shell interiors for taxonomy: Preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Motchurova-Dekova Neda

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM is a non-destructive technique for the investigation and visualization of the internal features of solid opaque objects, which allows reconstruction of a complete three-dimensional image of internal structures by recording of the differences in the effects on the passage of waves of energy reacting with those structures. Contrary to X-rays, produced in a conventional X-ray tube, the intense synchrotron light beams are sharply focused like a laser beam. We report encouraging results from the use of SRXTM for purely taxonomic purposes in brachiopods: an attempt to find a non-destructive and more efficient alternative to serial sectioning and several other methods of dissection together with the non-destructive method of X-ray computerised micro-tomography. Two brachiopod samples were investigated using SRXTM. In “Rhynchonella” flustracea it was possible to visualise the 3D shape of the crura and dental plates. In Terebratulina imbricata it was possible to reveal the form of the brachidium. It is encouraging that we have obtained such promising results using SRXTM with our very first two fortuitous samples, which had respectively fine-grained limestone and marl as infilling sediment, in contrast to the discouraging results communicated to us by some colleagues who have tested specimens with such infillings using X-ray micro-tomography. In future the holotypes, rare museum specimens or delicate Recent material may be preferentially subjected to this mode of analysis.

  19. The Urban Environment Can Modify Drought Stress of Small-Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata Mill. and Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.

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    Astrid Moser

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The urban environment characterized by various stresses poses challenges to trees. In particular, water deficits and high temperatures can cause immense drought stress to urban trees, resulting in reduced growth and die-off. Drought-tolerant species are expected to be resilient to these conditions and are therefore advantageous over other, more susceptible species. However, the drought tolerance of urban trees in relation to the specific growth conditions in urban areas remains poorly researched. This study aimed to analyze the annual growth and drought tolerance of two common urban tree species, namely small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill. (T. cordata and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L. (R. pseudoacacia, in two cities in southern Germany in relation to their urban growing conditions. Marked growth reductions during drought periods and subsequent fast recovery were found for R. pseudoacacia, whereas T. cordata exhibited continued reduced growth after a drought event, although these results were highly specific to the analyzed city. We further show that individual tree characteristics and environmental conditions significantly influence the growth of urban trees. Canopy openness and other aspects of the surrounding environment (water supply and open surface area of the tree pit, tree size, and tree species significantly affect urban tree growth and can modify the ability of trees to tolerate the drought stress in urban areas. Sustainable tree planting of well adapted tree species to their urban environment ensures healthy trees providing ecosystem services for a high quality of life in cities.

  20. Analysis of the Impact of Isoquinoline Alkaloids, Derived from Macleaya cordata Extract, on the Development and Innate Immune Response in Swine and Poultry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hengjia Ni

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Medicinal extract has been chronicled extensively in traditional Chinese medicine. Isoquinoline alkaloids, extract of Macleaya cordata (Willd. R. Br., have been used as feed additive in both swine and poultry. Dietary supplementation with isoquinoline alkaloids increases feed intake and weight gain. In addition, recent researches have demonstrated that isoquinoline alkaloids can regulate metabolic processes, innate immune system, and digestive functioning in animals. This review summarizes the latest scientific researches on isoquinoline alkaloids which are extracted from Macleaya cordata (Willd. R. Br. This review specifically focuses on its role as a feed supplement and its associated impact on growth performance and innate immune system, as well as its capacity to act as a substitute for oral antibiotics.

  1. Isolation of Flavonols from the Stems of Malaysian Uncaria Cordata Var. Ferruginea (Blume) Ridsd

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nur Hakimah Abdullah; Fatimah Salim; Fatimah Salim; Rohaya Ahmad; Rohaya Ahmad

    2016-01-01

    Continuing our interest in the genus, a phytochemical investigation on Uncaria cordata var. ferruginea collected from Hutan Pasir Raja, Malaysia has been carried out. Two flavonols known as quercetin and kaempferol were isolated from the methanolic stem extract of this plant along with other phenolic compounds and terpenes. The two flavonols are reported for the first time from this species. The structure of the compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data, mostly 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR as well as comparison with literature. (author)

  2. Neuroprotective effect of Buddleja cordata methanolic extract in the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium Parkinson's disease rat model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Barrón, Gabriela; Avila-Acevedo, José Guillermo; García-Bores, Ana María; Montes, Sergio; García-Jiménez, Sara; León-Rivera, Ismael; Rubio-Osornio, Moisés; Monroy-Noyola, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the irreversible loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway with subsequent dopamine deficiency. Environmental causes have been proposed through molecules, such as 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)), to induce oxidative stress. The methanolic extract of plants of the genus Buddleja has been reported to have in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties to protect against neuronal death. In the present study, the neuroprotective effect of Buddleja cordata methanolic extract in the MPP(+) PD rat model was investigated. Animals were administered orally with 50 or 100 mg/kg of methanolic extract every 24 h for 14 days. Twenty hours later, rats were infused with an intrastriatal stereotaxic microinjection of 10 µg MPP(+) in 8 μl sterile saline solution. Six days later, the animals were treated with 1 mg/kg apomorphine to record ipsilateral rotations for 1 h. All the rats were killed by decapitation and the lesioned striatum was dissected for dopamine and lipid peroxidation quantifications. Both methanolic extract doses led to a significantly lower (P Buddleja cordata methanolic extract in the MPP(+) PD rat model, possibly due to the involvement of phenylpropanoids.

  3. Enzymatic regulation of photosynthetic and light-independent carbon fixation in Laminaria setchellii (Phaeophyta, Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta and Iridaea cordata (Rhodophyta Regulación enzimática de la fotosíntesis y la fijación de carbono en obscuridad por Laminaria setchellii (Phaeophyta, Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta e Iridaea cordata (Rhodophyta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALEJANDRO CABELLO-PASINI

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Carbon is acquired through photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic processes in marine algae. However, little is known about the biochemical regulation of these metabolic pathways along the thallus of seaweeds. Consequently, the objective of this study was to assess the distribution of in vivo carboxylation pathways and to relate them to the in vitro activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RUBISCO, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC in the Phaeophyte Laminaria setchellii, the Chlorophyte Ulva lactuca, and the Rhodophyte Iridaea cordata. Chlorophyll-a levels did not vary in U. lactuca and I. cordata. However, pigment levels were significantly lower in the meristematic region of L. setchellii probably as a result of a lack of differentiation of the chloroplasts in this region. Similarly, net photosynthesis did not vary in the thallus of U. lactuca and I. cordata, while it increased from the stipe and meristem towards the lamina of L. setchellii. In contrast to photosynthesis, light-independent carbon fixation rates were significantly greater in the meristematic region of L. setchellii suggesting a compensating mechanism for carbon incorporation in photosynthetically limited tissue. The activity of RUBISCO and PEPCK followed a pattern similar to that of in vivo carboxylation processes indicating that in vivo carbon assimilation is regulated by the activity of the carboxylating enzymes throughout the thallus of L. setchelliiLa incorporación de carbono en algas marinas se lleva a cabo mediante procesos fotosintéticos y no-fotosintéticos. Sin embargo, poco se sabe sobre la regulación bioquímica de estas rutas metabólicas en el tejido de algas marinas. En consecuencia, el objetivo de este estudio fue el de evaluar la distribución de la carboxilación in vivo y relacionarlas a la actividad in vitro de ribulosa 1,5-bisfosfato carboxilasa/oxigenasa (RUBISCO, fosfoenolpiruvato

  4. Rapid determination of alkaloids in Macleaya cordata using ionic liquid extraction followed by multiple reaction monitoring UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Linqiu; Huang, Mingyuan; Shao, Junli; Lin, Bokun; Shen, Qing

    2017-02-20

    The ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and ionic liquid based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) have been successfully applied in extracting of six alkaloids from M. cordata. 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C 6 MIM][BF 4 ]) aqueous solution was used as extraction solvent. The target analytes in raw material were deposited into a single drop of 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C 6 MIM][PF 6 ]), which was in situ formed by mixing [C 6 MIM][BF 4 ] and potassium hexafluorophosphate ([K][PF 6 ]. Afterwards, the extract was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The proposed method was fully validated in terms of linearity (0.9983-0.9992), LOD (0.080ngmL -1 ), LOQ (0.25ngmL -1 ), intra-day precision (MS/MS is powerful and practical for analyzing alkaloids in M. cordata., and it also has great potential for comprehensive quality control of other herbal medicines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Platystrophia (Orthida and new related Ordovician and Early Silurian brachiopod genera

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    Harper, David A. T.

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available More than 150 Ordovician and Early Silurian brachiopod species have been assigned to the genus Platystrophia King, 1850 mainly on the basis of their Spirifer-like shell exteriors. King’s concept of the genus was based on Platystrophia biforata King, which is not conspecific with Terebratulites biforatus Schlotheim, traditionally regarded as the type species of Platystrophia. Porambonites costatus Pander, 1830 is formally proposed as the type species of the genus to replace P. biforata; the latter is considered to be a nomen dubium. In our revised diagnosis, Platystrophia is restricted to a group of Arenig to upper Caradoc species from Baltica and Avalonia, whereas the Ashgill and lower Silurian taxa of these regions, hitherto assigned to Platystrophia, are placed in the new genus Neoplatystrophia. Platystrophia ponderosa Foerste, 1909 from the Upper Ordovician of North America is proposed as the type species of a new genus Vinlandostrophia. Two new species, Platystrophia baltica and Platystrophia pogrebovi from the Llanvirn–Caradoc of the East Baltic are also described.

  6. Quality evaluation of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. by high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection (HPLC-DAD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhan-nan; Sun, Yi-ming; Luo, Shi-qiong; Chen, Jin-wu; Chen, Jin-wu; Yu, Zheng-wen; Sun, Min

    2014-03-01

    A new, validated method, developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 phenolics (chlorogenic acid, scopoletin, vitexin, rutin, afzelin, isoquercitrin, narirutin, kaempferitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, kaempferol, chrysosplenol D, vitexicarpin, 5-hydroxy-3,3',4',7-tetramethoxy flavonoids, 5-hydroxy-3,4',6,7-tetramethoxy flavonoids and kaempferol-3,7,4'-trimethyl ether) in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. was successfully applied to 35 batches of samples collected from different regions or at different times and their total antioxidant activities (TAAs) were investigated. The aim was to develop a quality control method to simultaneously determine the major active components in H. cordata. The HPLC-DAD method was performed using a reverse-phase C18 column with a gradient elution system (acetonitrile-methanol-water) and simultaneous detection at 345 nm. Linear behaviors of method for all the analytes were observed with linear regression relationship (r(2)>0.999) at the concentration ranges investigated. The recoveries of the 16 phenolics ranged from 98.93% to 101.26%. The samples analyzed were differentiated and classified based on the contents of the 16 characteristic compounds and the TAA using hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results analyzed showed that similar chemical profiles and TAAs were divided into the same group. There was some evidence that active compounds, although they varied significantly, may possess uniform anti-oxidant activities and have potentially synergistic effects.

  7. Extraction and identification of bioactive components in Sida cordata (Burm.f.) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganesh, Mani; Mohankumar, Murugan

    2017-09-01

    Sida cordata (Burm.f.) is a pineal tropical plant in the family Malvaceae that is found throughout India and used to treat various diseases and ailments in many complementary and alternative medicine systems. This study identified the bioactive components present in whole-plant ethanol extracts of S . cordata using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Based on their retention times (RT) and mass-to-charge ratios (m/z), 29 bioactive compounds were identified: nonanoic acid, vitamin D 3 , 3-trifluroacetoxypentadecane, α-d-glucopyranoside, O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.3)-α-d-fructofuranosyl,3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecan-1-ol, octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester, phytol, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (E,E), 9,12,15-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (Z,Z,Z), oleic acid, 1,2-15,16-diepoxyhexadecane, 3-hexadecyloxycarbonyl-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methylimidazolium ion, methoxyacetic acid, 4-tetradecyl ester, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester, 1-iodo-2-methylundecane, dodecane, 2,6,10-trimethyl-, 2-piperidinone-N-[4-bromo-n-butyl]-, squalene, octadecane-1-(ethenyloxy)-, Z,Z-2,5-pentadecadien-1-ol, 1-hexadecanol, 2-methyl-, spiro[androst-5ene-17,1'-cyclobutan]-2'-one-3-hydroxy-, (3a,17a)-, diethylene glycol monododecyl ether, vitamin E, cholestan-3-ol, 2-methylene-, (3a,5a)-, 2H-pyran, 2-(7-heptadecynyloxy)tetrahydro-, and cis -Z-α-bisabolene epoxide. The presence of various bioactive compounds justifies the use of this plant for treating various ailments by traditional practitioners.

  8. Photoprotection of Buddleja cordata extract against UVB-induced skin damage in SKH-1 hairless mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila Acevedo, José Guillermo; Espinosa González, Adriana Montserrat; De Maria y Campos, Diana Matamoros; Benitez Flores, José del Carmen; Hernández Delgado, Tzasna; Flores Maya, Saul; Campos Contreras, Jorge; Muñoz López, José Luis; García Bores, Ana María

    2014-08-03

    In recent years, there has been considerable interest in using botanical agents to prevent skin damage resulting from solar UV-irradiation. Buddleja cordata is a plant that is known as "tepozan". Some people in Mexico use the leaves of this plant to treat tumours, abscesses, sores and burns. The purpose of this study is to investigate the photoprotective properties of Buddleja cordata methanolic extract (BCME) against UVB-induced skin damage in SKH-1 hairless mice at the macroscopic and histological levels. BCME was characterised to determine its spectroscopic, chromatographic and antioxidant (DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) properties. To conduct the photoprotection studies, BCME was applied topically to the skin of SKH-1 mice before acute exposure to UVB for 10 minutes. The murine skin samples were used for macroscopic and histological studies to assess tissue damage. Penetration of active components of BCME into stratum corneum on the dorsal area of mice was investigated in vivo by the tape stripping method. Moreover, genotoxicity of BCME was evaluated in a Vicia faba cell root micronucleus model. BCME displayed absorbance over the entire UVB spectrum, and its principal components included verbascoside and linarin. BCME exhibited antioxidant activity and significantly scavenged hydroxyl radicals. BCME reduced erythema, sunburn cell production, vessel congestion and epidermal thickening of UVB irradiated mouse skin. BCME penetrate the skin of mice. BCME did not exhibit genotoxic activity in the micronucleus test. The topical administration of BCME protected against acute UVB-induced damage in mouse SKH-1 skin, and our results suggest that BCME may potentially prevent photodamage.

  9. EFECTO DE DOS NIVELES DE FORRAJE ARBÓREO TEPOZÁN (Buddleia cordata EN EL COMPORTAMIENTO PRODUCTIVO Y MICROBIOLÓGICO RUMINAL EN CABRAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Perez-Sato

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Se evaluó el efecto de la inclusión (0, 15 y 30 % de forraje arbóreo de Buddleida cordata (Tepozán en el comportamiento productivo y los microorganismos del rumen en cabras. Se distribuyeron al azar 30 cabras criollas con un peso vivo promedio de 14 kg en tres tratamientos y fueron alojadas en corrales individuales durante 45 días. Se midió ganancia diaria de peso (GDP, consumo de materia seca (CMS, pH ruminal, concentración de bacterias totales, celulolíticas y protozoarios a los, 30 y 45 días del periodo experimental. El diseño experimental fue completamente al azar con mediciones repetidas a través del tiempo, analizando los datos de GDP, CMS y pH ruminal con PROC MIXED. El número de bacterias fue estadísticamente analizado por intervalos de confianza. No hubo diferencias entre tratamientos (p>0.05 por la inclusión de B. cordata en la dieta sobre la GDP, CMS, pH ruminal, concentración de bacterias totales, celulolíticas y protozoarios. No se presentaron diferencia entre periodos (p>0.05 en ninguna variable. Se concluye  que el henificado de B. cordata muestra potencial para ser incluido en la dieta de cabras hasta un máximo de 30%, sin afectar negativamente las variables productivas ni a los microorganismos del rumen. Â

  10. In vitro skin permeation and anti-atopic efficacy of lipid nanocarriers containing water soluble extracts of Houttuynia cordata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Taek Kwan; Kim, Jin-Chul

    2014-10-01

    The aims of this work are to enhance the in vitro skin permeation of Houttuynia cordata (water-soluble extract of H. cordata; HCWSE) and to boost the efficacy of HCWSE against atopic dermatitis (AD) - like skin lesion in hairless mice using lipid nano-carriers (liposome and cubosome). HCWSE was obtained by a hot water extraction. Monoolein cubosomal suspension containing HCWSE and egg phosphatidylcholine liposomal suspension containing the same was prepared by a sonication and a film hydration method, respectively. The lipid nano-carriers, especially cubosome, enhanced the in vitro skin permeation of HCWSE. The inhibitory effects of HCWSE-containing lipid carrier suspensions on the development of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesion in hairless mice were investigated by observing appearance of skin surface, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) level and cytokine expression. HCWSE-containing preparations suppressed IgE production and interleukin 4 expression, whereas they promoted interferon gamma expression. The order of lymphocyte (B-cell, Th1 cell and Th2 cell) modulating effect was HCWSE-containing cubosomal suspension > HCWSE-containing liposomal suspension > HCWSE solution in phosphate buffered saline, indicating that the cubosomal suspension, among the preparations, was the most efficacious in inhibiting the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesion. It is believed that the cubosomal suspension containing HCWSE would be an efficacious preparation for the treatment of AD.

  11. Assessing the completeness of the fossil record using brachiopod Lazarus taxa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gearty, W.; Payne, J.

    2012-12-01

    Lazarus taxa, organisms that disappear from the fossil record only to reappear later, provide a unique opportunity to assess the completeness of the fossil record. In this study, we apply logistic regression to quantify the associations of body size, geographic extent, and species diversity with the probability of being a Lazarus genus using the Phanerozoic fossil record of brachiopods. We find that both the geographic range and species diversity of a genus are inversely associated with the probability of being a Lazarus taxon in the preceding or succeeding stage. In contrast, body size exhibits little association with the probability of becoming a Lazarus taxon. A model including species diversity and geographic extent as predictors performs best among all combinations examined, whereas a model including only shell size as a predictor performs the worst - even worse than a model that assumes Lazarus taxa are randomly drawn from all available genera. These findings suggest that geographic range and species richness data can be used to improve estimates of extensions on the observed fossil ranges of genera and, thereby, better correct for sampling effects in estimates of taxonomic diversity change through the Phanerozoic.

  12. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of phenolic and antioxidative compounds from lizard tail (Houttuynia cordata Thunb.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trakul Prommajak

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Lizard tail (Houttuynia cordata Thunb. is an Asian herb which has many biological activities, including antioxidative property from polyphenolic compounds. Response surface methodology and Box-Behnken design were employed to study the effect of extraction temperature (30 to 70°C, extraction time (10 to 30 min, ethanol concentration (30 to 70%, and solvent to sample ratio (2 to 6 ml/g on ultrasonic-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from lizard tail and antioxidant capacity of the herb extract. Extraction temperature was the most relevant factor on the responses. Optimal condition was the extraction temperature of 70°C for 30 min, using 60% ethanol concentration at the solvent to sample ratio of 5 ml/g. Model adequacies were confirmed by extraction at the optimal condition and normality of standardized residuals.

  13. Wolfcampian brachiopods from the Bird Spring Group, Wamp Spring area, Las Vegas Range, Clark County, Nevada ( USA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, P.C.; Langenheim, R.L.

    1987-01-01

    The Wamp Spring section of the Bird Spring Group is subdivided into a basal platy limestone member, lower cliff-forming member, and upper cliff-forming member. Triticites, Schwagerina, and Schubertella kingi in the platy limestone member indicate an early Wolfcampian age. Schwagerina, Schubertella kingi, and a distinctive assemblage of brachiopods, similar to the West Texas fauna, indicate that the upper cliff-forming member is late Wolfcampian. The lower cliff-forming member is tentatively assigned to the middle Wolfcampian. The Wamp Spring sequence correlates temporally with the BSe 'formation' of the Bird Spring Group. The fossil-rich upper cliff-forming limestone member includes the new species Pontisia boodi, Crurithyris wampensis, and Calliprotonia(?) n. sp. A, as well as Hustedia culcitula, Crenispirifer(?) sp., Cenorhynchia(?) sp., Kutorginella(?) sp., marginiferids, lyssacine hexactinellid sponges, pleurotomarid and bellerophontid gastropods, cidaroid echinoids, rugose corals, cylindrical cryptostome bryozoans, and nuculids. -from Authors

  14. Determination of physiological parameters of Tilla cordata Mill. in different environments cultivation

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    Maksat Bekboevich Matraimov

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This experiment investigated the effect of different container design on growth and development of Small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.. Experimental plants acquired in the Netherlands were of standardized height 0.4 meters, with diameter of the root neck of 3–5 mm. To monitor the effect of different types of containers (“Air-Pot™” container – Bohemiaseed, s. r. o., Squared containers “Vet” – SINCO Ltd., Containers 50 Series MCI/MCC – round plastic nursery containers, “Air pot” garden bags – Arbo ® Standard, Poland on the physiological and morphological parameters of plants, three types of nursery containers were selected with open ground as control variant. Statistically significant difference between fluorescence and time of measurement was also found. In the Small-leaved lime the container type did not affect chlorophyll content or chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm; plants grown in Containers 50 Series MCI/MCC showed a lower chlorophyll content compared to plants grown in “Air-Pot ™” containers. As reported in literature, Fv/Fm ratio is a reliable indicator of the occurrence of environmental stresses, including water stress, on air-pot bag for several woody and herbaceous species.

  15. Reproductive ecology of Scalesia cordata (Asteraceae), an endangered species from the Galápagos Islands

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Philipp, Marianne; Nielsen, Lene Rostgaard

    2010-01-01

    the reproductive system limits the recruitment of young individuals. Pollinator observations revealed that each capitulum received, on average, 2.5 visits per hour and exposed receptive stigmas received many pollen grains. Even so, the seed set and recruitment of trees was poor. Crossing experiments showed that S....... cordata produced about twice as many fertile seeds after outcrossing than after selfing. In addition, self-pollinated capitula flowered for a longer time than outcrossed capitula (3.8 ± 1.1 days vs. 2.1 ± 0.8 days). These results may suggest that the species is partly self-incompatible, as other species...... the enclosure, removing the introduced plant species and continuing to cultivate plants as a genetic reserve. Introducing new genetic material is likely to increase the seed set of the population...

  16. X-ray tomographic microscopy tightens affinity of the early Cambrian Oymurania to the brachiopod stem group

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    Artem Kouchinsky

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The geologically rapid biotic evolution in the early Cambrian is marked by the first appearance of major groups of animals in the fossil record (e.g., Budd and Jensen 2000; Kouchinsky et al. 2012. Along with the earliest crown-group representatives of the phylum Brachiopoda, more basal branches of the phylogenetic tree belonging to the stem-group Brachiopoda, such as tannuolinids and mikwitziids, diversified and became widespread during the early Cambrian (e.g., Williams and Holmer 2002; Balthasar et al. 2009; Skovsted et al. 2014. Synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM of Oymurania gravestocki reveals the microstructure of its calcium-phosphatic shell differentiated into two layers and intersecting systems of canals. The outer layer shows the acrotretoid columnar microstructure and the inner layer consists of continuous prismatic columns. Phosphatized setae preserved within tangential canals, as well as perpendicular canals of Micrina–Setatella type demonstrate homology with the tannuolinid Micrina and the mickwitziid Setatella. A unique and novel combination of microstructural features in Oymurania confirms its evolutionary position within the brachiopod stem group.

  17. Development and antioxidant capacity of sapota pulp Jelly (Quararibea cordata Vischer Desenvolvimento e capacidade antioxidante de geleia da polpa de sapota (Quararibea cordata Vischer

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    Vania Silva Carvalho

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Sapote (Quararibea cordata Vischer, also known as a chupa-chupa, is originated from the Brazilian, Peruvian and Colombian Amazon. The pulp of the ripe fruit is edible, fibrous, of intense orange color, sweet flavor and aromatic. Since the fruit is known in the Amazon only in its domesticated state, this work becomes necessary. With the aim of meeting the demand for new products in domestic and international markets, sapota pulp jelly has been developed. The jelly was assessed for moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, pectin, pH, total acidity, solids soluble, sugars, organic acids, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. The final product met the standards required by Brazilian law, and 32.68% moisture and 61.06% °Brix. Also, in accordance with the laws attributed to this product, jelly sapota pulp can be considered a food rich in fiber, as presented content above 5%. The jelly, showed content of total phenolics compounds (102 mg GAE. 100 -1 in relation to fresh fruit (21 mg GAE.100 g-1. There was the identification in the antioxidant capacity (9.05% scavering of DPPH radical, giving the final product antioxidant properties. Also were analyzed the microbiological characteristics of the product which was not observed the presence of thermotolerants coliforms, yeast and molds. The sapota can be considered effective raw materials in the preparation of jam and this had an antioxidant activity and source of fiber.A sapota (Quararibea cordata Vischer, também conhecida como chupa-chupa, é originária da Amazônia Brasileira, Peruana e Colombiana A polpa do fruto maduro é comestível, fibrosa, de cor alaranjada intensa, sabor doce e aromática. Por ser conhecida na Amazônia somente no seu estado domesticado, torna-se necessário este trabalho Assim, visando a atender a demanda por novos produtos no mercado nacional e internacional, foi desenvolvida a geleia da polpa de sapota. A geleia foi avaliada quanto

  18. Antibiofilm and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Houttuynia cordata Decoction for Oral Care

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    Yasuko Sekita

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Dental biofilms that form in the oral cavity play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several infectious oral diseases, including dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral candidiasis. Houttuynia cordata (HC, Saururaceae is a widely used traditional medicine, for both internal and external application. A decoction of dried HC leaves (dHC has long been consumed as a health-promoting herbal tea in Japan. We have recently reported that a water solution of HC poultice ethanol extract (wHCP exerts antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against several important oral pathogens. It also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects on human keratinocytes. In our current study, we examined the effects of dHC on infectious oral pathogens and inflammation. Our results demonstrated that dHC exerts moderate antimicrobial effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and other oral microorganisms. dHC also exhibited antibiofilm effects against MRSA, Fusobacterium nucleatum (involved in dental plaque formation, and Candida albicans and inhibitory effects on interleukin-8, CCL20, IP-10, and GROα productions by human oral keratinocytes stimulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (a cause of periodontal disease, without cytotoxic effects. This suggests that dHC exhibits multiple activities in microorganisms and host cells. dHC can be easily prepared and may be effective in preventing infectious oral diseases.

  19. Field and laboratory experiements with Iridaea cordata (florideophyceae) grown on nylon netting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mumford, T.F., Jr.

    1979-01-01

    Iridaea cordata (Turner) Bory (Giagatinales) is a carrageenophyte that has been seeded on nets placed directly over natural beds. This process results in only ca. 50% success and suffers from intense grazing by the snails Calliostoma and Lacuna. Ir Iridaea covers the nets, animals fouling does not occur, but further setting of the nets is prevented by fouling with Ulva and Monostroma. Yields of 6-8 kg dry matter m- /sup 2/ was obtained in 1975 and 3.3 kg dry matter m-/sup 2/ in 1976. Expected 1977 yields should be between these values. Comparison of strategies of harvesting nets is made. One harvest yields 461.4 g dry wt 0.25m/sup -2/; two harvests, the first performed early in the growing season yields 500.0 g dry wt 0.25m/sup -2/. Two harvests, one performed near the peak of the growing season yields 594.2 g dry wt 0.25m-/sup 2/, and three harvests yields 697.1 g dry wt 0.25m-/sup 2/. Peak growth occurs in April through July. Careful monitoring of biomass must be made to insure harvest before senescence and subsequent loss of biomass occurs. The potential for commerical use is discussed.

  20. Mite species (Acari: Mesostigmata new and rare to Polish fauna, inhabiting the soil of broadleaved forests dominated by small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill. in Kwidzyn Forest District (N Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    FALEŃCZYK-KOZIRÓG KATARZYNA

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available During a two-year study on mites of the order Mesostigmata in broadleaved forest stands dominated by small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill., 117 mite species were identified. Among them, 3 had been so far rarely recorded in Poland (Haemogamasus nidi, Stylochirus rovenensis and Eugamasus crassitarsis and 2 were classified as new to the Polish fauna (Veigaia sibirica and Digamasellus perpusillus.

  1. Boron isotopes in brachiopods during the end-Permian mass extinction: constraints on pH evolution and seawater chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurikova, Hana; Gutjahr, Marcus; Liebetrau, Volker; Brand, Uwe; Posenato, Renato; Garbelli, Claudio; Angiolini, Lucia; Eisenhauer, Anton

    2017-04-01

    The global biogeochemical cycling of carbon is fundamental for life on Earth with the ocean playing a key role as the largest and dynamically evolving CO2 reservoir. The boron isotope composition (commonly expressed in δ11B) of marine calcium carbonate is considered to be one of the most reliable paleo-pH proxies, potentially enabling us to reconstruct past ocean pH changes and understand carbon cycle perturbations along Earth's geological record (e.g. Foster et al., 2008; Clarkson et al., 2015). Brachiopods present an advantageous and largely underutilised archive for Phanerozoic carbon cycle reconstructions considering their high abundance in the geological record and its origin dating back to the early Cambrian. Moreover, their shell made of low-magnesium calcite makes these marine calcifiers more resistant to post-depositional diagenetic alteration of primary chemical signals. We have investigated the δ11B using MC-ICP-MS (Neptune Plus) and B/Ca and other elemental ratios (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Al/Ca, Li/Ca, Ba/Ca, Na/Ca and Fe/Ca) using ICP-MS-Quadrupole (Agilent 7500cx) from the same specimens in pristine brachiopod shells from two sections from northern Italy during the Late Permian. These sections cover the δ13C excursion in excess of ˜4 ‰ (Brand et al., 2012) and are associated with major climate and environmental perturbations that lead to the mass extinction event at the Permian-Triassic boundary. Particular emphasis will be placed on the implications of our new paleo-pH estimates on the seawater chemistry during the Late Permian. Brand, U., Posenato, R., Came, R., Affek, H., Angiolini, L., Azmy, K. and Farabegoli, E.: The end-Permian mass extinction: A rapid volcanic CO2 and CH4-climatic catastrophe, Chemical Geology 323, 121-144, doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.06.015, 2012. Clarkson, M.O., Kasemann, S.A., Wood, R.A., Lenton, T.M., Daines, S.J., Richoz, S., Ohnemueller, F., Meixner, A., Poulton, S.W. and Tipper, E.T.: Ocean acidification and the Permo

  2. Evaluation of physical and chemical parameters of the Sapota (Quararibea cordata Vischer: A fruit of the Amazon Brazilian

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vania Silva Carvalho

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Sapote  (Quararibea  cordata Vischer,  also  known  as  a  chupa-chupa,  is  originated  from  the Brazilian,PeruvianandColombianAmazon.Thepulpoftheripefruitisedible,fibrous,of intenseorangecolor,sweetflavorandaromatic.Sincethefruitisknowninthe Brazilian Amazononlyin itsdomesticatedstate,thisworkbecomesnecessary,whichevaluatesthephysicalandchemical profileofthefruitandprovidesmoreinformationaboutitsindustrialpotential.Thefollowing parameterswereassessed:totalmass(glongitudinalandtransversaldiameters(mm,proximal composition,caloricvalue,carotenoids,totalpectin,totaltitratableacidity,pH,totalsoluble sugars,organicacids,color,antioxidantpotentialandphenoliccompounds.TheSapote grown in Goiânia hasaveragemassof595g,longitudinaldiameterof10.06cm andtransversaldiameterof10.68cm.The fruitcontainslargeamountsofdietaryfiber(11.94% and  carotenoids  (1.91μg.g-1,and  high  total  pectin  content  (5.24%.  Thefruitalsohasphenoliccompoundsinthealcoholicextractsof 6.31mgGAE.100g-1 and15.06mgGAE.100g-1  intheaqueousextract.Thismakesthefruitto haveafunctionalfeature.Thus,itcanbeincludedintheindustrialcontext,withthemainfeature ofbeing an exotic fruit with properties thatgive itgood nutritionalperformance.

  3. Italian alder (Alnus cordata/Loisel./Desf. - new species for Allochtonous dendroflora of Serbia

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    Bobinac Martin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The foreign tree species, Alnus cordata/Loisel./Desf. (Italian alder, (Betulaceae/Loisel./Duby, not previously recorded in the dendroflora of Serbia, is described in this paper. Italian alder trees in an experimental plot in the area of Erdevik, aged 11 years, show good vitality and fast growth, and bear fruits since their 10th year. Tree heights are in range from 10.4 to 16.2 m, and diameters at the breast height range from14.6 to 34.9 cm. The morphological properties of leaves, fruiting organs (“cones” and male catkins are in concordance with the values in literature sources, although they show great variability. Since the time of plantation establishment, the absolute minimum air temperature in the nearby meteorological station of Sremska Mitrovica was -26.50C, so it can be assumed that the species is frost hardy. On the basis of the researched properties of Italian alder, it can be concluded that this species can be cultivated in Serbia as an ornamental in urban areas and as a fast growing species in forest plantations for biomass production. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 31041: Šumski zasadi u funkciji povećanja pošumljenosti Srbije

  4. Anther specializations related to the division of labor in Microlicia cordata (Spreng. Cham. (Melastomataceae

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    Mariana de Souza Carvalho Velloso

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT In heterantherous flowers, some anthers have an attraction and feeding function, while others are related to plant reproduction. Microlicia cordata has dimorphic stamens organized in two cycles: the antesepalous one with large stamens and pink anthers, and the antepetalous one with small stamens and yellow anthers. Division of labor was analyzed using the parameters of structure, composition, amount and estimated viability of pollen, and the color of floral parts. The anthers of the pollinating stamens were larger than the anthers of the feeding stamens, although anatomically similar. There was a difference in the amount of pollen produced by the anthers of the two cycles, but no difference was found in pollen viability. Considering a bee color vision model, the color of the anthers of the pollinating stamens contrasted less with that of the corolla, and thus is probably less attractive to visitors. Conversely, the anthers of the feeding stamens and the ventral appendage of the connective of the pollinating stamens contrasted more with the corolla, presenting the same color to the pollinators. These results are in accordance with the idea of division of labor among anthers of heterantherous flowers, especially regarding the quantity of pollen and the color of the floral parts.

  5. Chemical composition and inhibitory activities on dipeptidyl peptidase IV and pancreatic lipase of two underutilized species from the Brazilian Savannah: Oxalis cordata A.St.-Hil. and Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Verena B; Araújo, Raquel L B; Eidenberger, Thomas; Brandão, Maria G L

    2018-03-01

    Brazil has the greatest vegetal biodiversity in the world, but products derived from native species are not optimally utilized. Oxalis cordata and Xylopia aromatica are two underutilized species whose leaves and fruits, respectively, have been used as food in the 19th century. In this study, we used chemical and in vitro assays to evaluate the potential of these species as functional foods. The inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase and DPP-IV were evaluated using the crude extracts and fractions ethyl acetate, butanol and water of these two species. For polyphenols determination, samples were prepared with different solvents and these were analysed by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Finally, fatty acids profile was determinated by gas chromatography. The crude extract (IC 50 =0.84mg/ml), ethyl acetate extract (IC 50 =0.88mg/ml) an aqueous fraction (IC 50 =0.63mg/ml) of C. cordata were inhibitory on pancreatic lipase but inactive against dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). Extracts from X. aromatica were inactive against the lipase pancreatic enzyme, but a butanolic fraction inhibited DPP-IV (IC 50 =0.71±0.05mg/ml). The phenolic acids orientin/isorientin, chlorogenic acid (0.32g/100g) and the flavonoid derivatives rutin (0.27g/100g), quercetin and luteolin were observed in all products. Additionally, fatty acid quantification showed that oleic (7.5g/100g) and linoleic acid (6.5g/100g) were predominant in X. aromatica fruit. This study confirms the potential for the use of both plants as functional foods due to their nutritional value, biological activity and important phytochemical content. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Phytochemical investigation and nephroprotective potential of Sida cordata in rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Naseer Ali; Khan, Muhammad Rashid; Nigussie, Dereje

    2017-08-04

    Plants are an efficient source of natural antioxidant against free radicals causing kidney damages. Sida cordata ethyl acetate fraction has been reported for strong in vitro antioxidant potency, previously. In the present study, our objective was to evaluate its in vivo antioxidant potency against CCl 4 induced nephrotoxicity and investigates the bioactive phytochemicals by HPLC-DAD analysis. Phytochemical analysis was performed by HPLC-DAD methodology. For in vivo study, 42 male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with alternatively managed doses for 60 days. Group I animals were remained untreated. Group II animals were treated with vehicle (1 mL of olive oil) by intragastric route on alternate days. Group III was treated with 30% CCl 4 (1 mL/kg b.w.) i.p. Group IV was treated with 30% CCl 4 (1 mL/kg b.w.) i.p and silymarin intragastric. Group V and VI rats were treated with 30% CCl 4 and SCEE (150 and 300 mg/kg b.w., respectively) intragastric. Group VII animals were treated with SCEE (300 mg/kg b.w.) intragastrically. Blood parameters, Serum proteins and urine profile were investigated. Activities of tissue enzyme i.e. catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, GSH and γ-GT were evaluated. Histopathological observations, total protein contents, lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and relative weight were also analyzed. Gallic acid, catechin and caffeic acid were identified in SCEE fraction by HPLC-DAD. Decrease in the count of red blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and concentration of hemoglobin whereas increase in lymphocyte count and estimation of sedimentation rate (ESR) with 1 mL CCl 4 (30% in Olive oil) administration (30 doses in 60 days) was restored dose dependently with co-treatment of SCEE (150 and 300 mg/kg b.w.). Treatment of rats with CCl 4 markedly (P < 0.01) increased the count of urinary red blood cells and leucocytes, concentration of urea, creatinine and urobilinogen and specific

  7. Checklist of Recent thecideoid brachiopods from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, with a description of a new species of Thecidellina from Europa Island and a re-description of T. blochmanni Dall from Christmas Island.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logan, Alan; Hoffmann, Jana; Lüter, Carsten

    2015-09-08

    Compilation of a checklist of Recent thecideoid brachiopods from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea indicates that members of this superfamily are represented by a small number of species. The subfamily Lacazellinae is represented by Ospreyella maldiviana from the Maldive Islands but the presence of Lacazella cannot yet be confirmed in the Indian Ocean as the holotype of Lacazella mauritiana from Mauritius is lost. The subfamily Thecidellininae is represented by Thecidellina blochmanni from Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean and the Red Sea while a new species T. europa is here described from Europa Island in the Mozambique Channel. The subfamily Minutellinae is represented by Minutella minuta from Samper Bank and Walters Bank in the south-western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea. Since the holotype of Thecidellina blochmanni from Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island is also lost, this species is re-described and illustrated mainly from topotypes in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, from which a suggested neotype has been selected.

  8. Chemical Constituents of Malaysian U. cordata var. ferruginea and Their in Vitro α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Hakimah Abdullah

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Continuing our interest in the Uncaria genus, the phytochemistry and the in-vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of Malaysian Uncaria cordata var. ferruginea were investigated. The phytochemical study of this plant, which employed various chromatographic techniques including recycling preparative HPLC, led to the isolation of ten compounds with diverse structures comprising three phenolic acids, two coumarins, three flavonoids, a terpene and an iridoid glycoside. These constituents were identified as 2-hydroxybenzoic acid or salicylic acid (1, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3, scopoletin or 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-coumarin (4, 3,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin (5, quercetin (6, kaempferol (7, taxifolin (8, loganin (9 and β-sitosterol (10. Structure elucidation of the compounds was accomplished with the aid of 1D and 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR spectral data and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS. In the α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, the crude methanolic extract of the stems of the plant and its acetone fraction exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibition activity of 87.7% and 89.2%, respectively, while its DCM fraction exhibited only moderate inhibition (75.3% at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. The IC50 values of both fractions were found to be significantly lower than the standard acarbose suggesting the presence of potential α-glucosidase inhibitors. Selected compounds isolated from the active fractions were then subjected to α-glucosidase assay in which 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and quercetin showed strong inhibitory effects against the enzyme with IC50 values of 549 and 556 μg/mL compared to acarbose (IC50 580 μg/mL while loganin and scopoletin only showed weak α-glucosidase inhibition of 44.9% and 34.5%, respectively. This is the first report of the isolation of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and loganin from the genus

  9. Metamorphosis in Craniiformea revisited

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Altenburger, Andreas; Wanninger, Andreas; Holmer, Lars E.

    2013-01-01

    We revisited the brachiopod fold hypothesis and investigated metamorphosis in the craniiform brachiopod Novocrania anomala. Larval development is lecithotrophic and the dorsal (brachial) valve is secreted by dorsal epithelia. We found that the juvenile ventral valve, which consists only of a thin...... brachiopods during metamorphosis to cement their pedicle to the substrate. N. anomala is therefore not initially attached by a valve but by material corresponding to pedicle cuticle. This is different to previous descriptions, which had led to speculations about a folding event in the evolution of Brachiopoda...

  10. Interrogation of distributional data for the End Ordovician crisis interval

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

    2011-01-01

    The uppermost Ordovician–lowermost Silurian (Upper Katian–Rhuddanian) is surveyed with respect to the a- and ß-diversity of rhynchonelliformean brachiopods. The survey is based on new collections as well as existing literature, compiled in a large, georeferenced database. The brachiopod faunas ar...

  11. Ciliary and mucus-net filter feeding, with special reference to fluid mechanical characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, C.B.; Kiørboe, Thomas; Møhlenberg, F.

    1984-01-01

    feeding characterized by processing of water at low pressures (.ltoreq. 1 mm H2O). Mechanisms of water processing and particle retention in brachiopods and bivalves are compared. Laminar flow of through-currents and surface-currents in brachiopods is consistent with the hypothesis of capture of suspended...

  12. Chemotaxonomic Diversity of Three Ficus Species: Their Discrimination Using Chemometric Analysis and Their Role in Combating Oxidative Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Musayeib, Nawal; Ebada, Sherif S; Gad, Haidy A; Youssef, Fadia S; Ashour, Mohamed Lotfy

    2017-10-01

    Genus Ficus (Moraceae) constitutes more than 850 species and about 2000 varieties and it acts as a golden mine that could afford effective and safe remedies combating many health disorders. Discrimination of Ficus cordata , Ficus ingens , and Ficus palmata using chemometric analysis and assessment of their role in combating oxidative stress. Phytochemical profiling of the methanol extracts of the three Ficus species and their successive fractions was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Their discrimination was carried out using the obtained spectral data applying chemometric unsupervised pattern-recognition techniques, namely, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. In vitro hepatoprotective and antioxidant evaluation of the samples was performed using human hepatocellular carcinoma cells challenged by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). Altogether, 22 compounds belonging to polyphenolics, flavonoids, and furanocoumarins were identified in the three Ficus species. Aviprin is the most abundant compound in F. cordata while chlorogenic acid and psoralen were present in high percentages in F. ingens and F. palmata , respectively. Chemometric analyses showed that F. palmata and F. cordata are more closely related chemically to each other rather than F. ingens . The ethyl acetate fractions of all the examined species showed a marked hepatoprotective efficacy accounting for 54.78%, 55.46%, and 56.42% reduction in serum level of alanine transaminase and 56.82%, 54.16%, and 57.06% suppression in serum level of aspartate transaminase, respectively, at 100 μg/mL comparable to CCl 4 -treated cells. Ficus species exhibited a no table antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity owing to their richness in polyphenolics and furanocoumarins. Ficus cordata , Ficus ingens , and Ficus palmata were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry that revealed

  13. Effects of thinning and mixed plantations with Alnus cordata on growth and efficiency of common walnut (Juglans regia L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giannini T

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Results about the effects of thinning and mixed plantations with Italian alder (Alnus cordata Loisel. on growth and efficiency of common walnut (Juglans regia L. plantations for wood production are reported. The study, carried out for six years on sixteen year old plantations, compared three theses: pure common walnut plantation (pure common walnut; 50% common walnut - 50% Italian alder plantation; 25% common walnut - 75% Italian alder plantation. Beyond annual surveys of girth at breast height, total height, stem volume and biomass, several variables, useful to describe canopy and foliage characteristics such as leaf area index (LAI, leaf biomass and photosynthetic active radiation below the canopy, were recorded. Data collected allowed to compare growth at individual and whole stand level, to calculate the net assimilation rate (NAR and to compare the growth efficiency of the three theses. Mixed plantations performed results significantly higher than the pure plantation in terms of growth, LAI and leaf biomass both before and after experimental thinning. With reference only to common walnut, growth in mixed plantations was higher than the pure plantation with differences ranging from +40% to +100%. More relevant differences among pure common walnut, 50% common walnut and 25% common walnut at canopy and foliage characteristics were observed, with LAI values of 1.07, 3.96 e 4.35 m2 m-2 respectively. Results accounted for a general positive effect of Italian alder as accessory tree species on growth and efficiency of mixed plantations, mainly due to the good performances induced in common walnut trees. Such performances were enabled by the good ecological integration between the two species and by the positive effects of N-fixing activity of Italian alder. Experimental thinning applied, although heavy, did not biased the dynamics observed before thinning both in pure and mixed plantations. In addition, they had positive effects on common walnut

  14. Taphonomy of a thick Terebratula bioherm from the Pliocene of southeastern Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Ramos, Diego A.

    2015-04-01

    Brachiopods were extremely abundant during the Paleozoic era but underwent a dramatic loss of biodiversity at the Permo-Triassic boundary. The comparison of brachiopod and bivalve diversity through geological time shows that the latter were the most successful counterpart at best recovering from mass extinction events. Nonetheless, there are cases where Post-Paleozoic brachiopods stand out as the dominant marine benthos in particular environments, forming paucispecific brachiopod-dominated bioherms. This note describes an example of shallow-water brachiopod bioherm dominated by the terebratulid Terebratula calabra. The shell bed is found in mixed siliciclastic-temperate carbonate deposits of late Early Pliocene age nearby Águilas (southeastern Spain). This unique brachiopod concentration may be helpful to understand the particular success of large-sized brachiopods like Terebratula in Cenozoic environments typically dominated by bivalves. The bioherm attains 1.5 meters in thickness and crops out along a band up to 140 meters wide. The lithology consists of bioturbated fine-grained sands containing poorly sorted bioclasts, mostly fragments of Terebratula. This shell bed also records a diverse fauna, including five brachiopod genera, pectinids (4 genera), oysters (3 genera), in addition to rare gastropods, echinoids, bryozoans, etc. The density and sorting of bioclasts is laterally variable, and the biofabrics range from loosely dispersed to densely-packed, including examples of concave-up vertical stacking and nesting of shells. Most of the fragments of Terebratula preserve the posterior part of the shell only. These fragments generally display corrasion (rounded fractured margins, rounded to completely missing symphytium), bioerosion (prevailing the ichnogenera Entobia, Gnathichnus and Podichnus) and encrustation (mainly by bryozoans, Ancistrocrania, and Pododesmus). The good preservation of Pododesmus contrasts with that of most fragments of Terebratula, although

  15. Equatorial seawater temperatures and latitudinal temperature gradients during the Middle to Late Jurassic: the stable isotope record of brachiopods and oysters from Gebel Maghara, Egypt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberti, Matthias; Fürsich, Franz T.; Abdelhady, Ahmed A.; Andersen, Nils

    2017-04-01

    The Jurassic climate has traditionally been described as equable, warmer than today, with weak latitudinal temperature gradients, and no polar glaciations. This view changed over the last decades with studies pointing to distinct climate fluctuations and the occasional presence of polar ice caps. Most of these temperature reconstructions are based on stable isotope analyses of fossil shells from Europe. Additional data from other parts of the world is slowly completing the picture. Gebel Maghara in the northern Sinai Peninsula of Egypt exposes a thick Jurassic succession. After a phase of terrestrial sedimentation in the Early Jurassic, marine conditions dominated since the end of the Aalenian. The stable isotope (δ18O, δ13C) composition of brachiopod and oyster shells was used to reconstruct seawater temperatures from the Bajocian to the Kimmeridgian at a palaeolatitude of ca. 3°N. Throughout this time interval, temperatures were comparatively constant aorund an average of 25.7°C. Slightly warmer conditions existed in the Early Bathonian ( 27.0°C), while the Kimmeridgian shows the lowest temperatures ( 24.3°C). The seasonality has been reconstructed with the help of high-resolution sampling of two oyster shells and was found to be very low (temperature gradients. During the Middle Jurassic, this gradient was much steeper than previously expected and comparable to today. During the Kimmeridgian, temperatures in Europe were generally warmer leading to weaker latitudinal gradients. Based on currently used estimates for the δ18O value of seawater during the Jurassic, reconstructed water temperatures for localities above the thermocline in Egypt and Europe were mostly lower than Recent sea-surface temperatures. These results improve our understanding of the Jurassic climate and its influence on marine faunal diversity patterns.

  16. Middle to Late Ordovician faunal studies from central Australia and Tasmania during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Kristian Grube

    A profound transformation of the marine biosphere took place during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE), recognized as the longest interval of sustained biodiversification in the history of life. Successions through the Middle Ordovician Stairway Sandstone of the Amadeus Basin......, but the diversity is generally relatively low. The bivalves are the most dominant and diverse group in the central Australian fauna, whereas the brachiopods are the most dominant and diverse group in the Tasmanian fauna. Thirteen trilobite, five brachiopod, four conodont and 22 mollusc taxa have been documented......, but the preservation and low number of specimens prevent formal definition of additional new taxa. Although highly endemic at species level, the investigated brachiopod, trilobite and mollusc faunas display a high degree of overall similarity at generic level with Middle Ordovician faunas from North China. Other...

  17. EVIDENCE OF A GUADALUPIAN AGE FOR THE KHUFF FORMATION OF SOUTHEASTERN OMAN: PRELIMINARY REPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LUCIA ANGIOLINI

    1998-11-01

    Full Text Available The Guadalupian succession of the Huqf area (Sultanate of Oman represents a mega-sequence comprising the fluvial terrigenous Gharif Formation and the overlying marine Khuff Formation. The Khuff Fm. is subdivided into four members and is composed of marls and bioclastic limestones. The Khuff Fm. yields a rich fauna of brachiopods, conodonts, foraminifers, bivalves, gastropods, ostracods and cephalopods. The brachiopod fauna of the Khuff Fm. includes strophomenids, productids, orthids and terebratulids. The associated conodont fauna includes Hindeodus excavatus Behnken, Merrilina sp., M. praedivergens Kozur & Mostler, and Sweetina n. sp. (systematic descriptions of conodonts are given in the Paleontological Appendix. Foraminifers are represented by species of Miliolina and Rotaliina. The Khuff Fm. is given a Wordian age, based on brachiopods and conodonts. The depositional environment of the Khuff Fm. of southeastern Oman corresponds to the outer shelf of a large carbonate platform covering most of the Arabian Platform. The Khuff Fm. is interpreted as a major transgressive-regressive cycle related to differential subsidence. 

  18. A functional collapse of persistent shell-gravel benthic ecosystem on the California shelf within the last century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomasovych, Adam; Kidwell, Susan M.

    2016-04-01

    Death assemblages sampled from the muddy seabed of the inner and middle mainland Southern California continental shelf frequently contain dead shells of epifaunal terebratulid brachiopod and large-bodied scallop species that have not been encountered alive during annual surveys of this area over the last four decades. Instead, live-collected shelly benthos is dominated by infaunal species, especially chemosynthetic and deposit-feeding bivalves. Postmortem age-frequency distributions based on 190 individuals of the brachiopod Laqueus show (1) a mode between 100 and 300 years, (2) the absence of shells younger than 100 years old, and (3) the continuous presence of shells older than 300 years, ranging up to six thousands of years old, implying the relatively continuous active production of shells by this brachiopod species over millennia. The localized occurrence of small living populations of this brachiopod and of the scallops Chlamys and Euvola under the reduced sedimentation conditions along the outermost edge of the mainland shelf, and their occurrence on the sandy shelves of the isolated, offshore Channel Islands less affected by natural and anthropogenic runoff, indicates that, up until the last century, the inner and middle mainland shelf had also been characterized by extensive areas of mud-free, shell-gravel habitat. The shift in community structure to the spatially pervasive, infauna-dominated muddy habitats encountered today implies a change to higher siltation and sediment loading due to increased land clearance within recent centuries.

  19. Distribution of 137Cs in environmental soil and crude drugs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Shoujiro; Yamaoki, Rumi

    1997-01-01

    Radioactivity of 137 Cs and 40 K was determined on commercially available products of Houttuynia Herb which were imported from China and Taiwan or processed in Japan, and of Houttuynia cordata harvested in 15 places in Japan and the surrounding soil. On Houttuynia Herb, the concentrations of 137 Cs and 40 K were LTD (less than detectable)-7.6 Bq/kg dry and 743-1964 Bq/kg dry, respectively, suggesting than the concentration of 137 Cs was less than 1% of that of 40 K. The domestic products were found to contain higher concentrations of 137 Cs and 40 K than the imported ones. The concentration of 137 Cs of Houttuynia cordata harvested in Japan ranged from 0.8 Bq/kg dry to 172 Bq/kg dry, while the concentration of 40 K was almost the same as that of the commercial products. The concentration ratio of 40 K in Houttuynia cordata to that in the soil was correlated with the moisture content and the ignition loss of the soil. However, the concentration ratio of 137 Cs did not show a very clear correlation. When 15 g of Houttuynia Herb or Houttuynia cordata was daily decocted and given for 1 year the former showed the committed dose equivalent of 0.02-0.5 μSv and the latter 0.06-12 μSv. Both of these values were less than 0.5% of the annual effective dose equivalent from the nature, 2.4 mSv. (author)

  20. The lower Maastrichtian Hivdskud succession, Møns Klint, Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jelby, M.E.; Thibault, Nicolas Rudolph; Surlyk, Finn

    2014-01-01

    with the cored boreholes Stevns-1 (Denmark) and ODP Site 762C (Indian Ocean). Hvidskud encompasses the 405 kyr eccentricity cycles Ma40513 – Ma40511 within magnetochron C31r. A sedimentation rate of 5.0 cm kyr-1 can be inferred from correlation to geochronological tie-points in ODP 762C, suggesting an age of ~70...... Maastrichtian in north-western Europe. Information on palaeo-seawater temperatures can be drawn from oxygen isotope records obtained from bulk rock samples and 24 micromorphic brachiopod specimens (Terebratulina faujasii). The brachiopod data show a clear diagenetic trend but point to an upper range...

  1. Distribution of {sup 137}Cs in environmental soil and crude drugs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kimura, Shoujiro; Yamaoki, Rumi [Osaka Univ. of Pharmaceutical Science, Takatsuki (Japan)

    1997-12-01

    Radioactivity of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 40}K was determined on commercially available products of Houttuynia Herb which were imported from China and Taiwan or processed in Japan, and of Houttuynia cordata harvested in 15 places in Japan and the surrounding soil. On Houttuynia Herb, the concentrations of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 40}K were LTD (less than detectable)-7.6 Bq/kg dry and 743-1964 Bq/kg dry, respectively, suggesting than the concentration of {sup 137}Cs was less than 1% of that of {sup 40}K. The domestic products were found to contain higher concentrations of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 40}K than the imported ones. The concentration of {sup 137}Cs of Houttuynia cordata harvested in Japan ranged from 0.8 Bq/kg dry to 172 Bq/kg dry, while the concentration of {sup 40}K was almost the same as that of the commercial products. The concentration ratio of {sup 40}K in Houttuynia cordata to that in the soil was correlated with the moisture content and the ignition loss of the soil. However, the concentration ratio of {sup 137}Cs did not show a very clear correlation. When 15 g of Houttuynia Herb or Houttuynia cordata was daily decocted and given for 1 year the former showed the committed dose equivalent of 0.02-0.5 {mu}Sv and the latter 0.06-12 {mu}Sv. Both of these values were less than 0.5% of the annual effective dose equivalent from the nature, 2.4 mSv. (author)

  2. Lenticellaria and Hillerella, new kraussinoid genera (Kraussinoidea, Brachiopoda) from Indo-Pacific and Red Sea waters: evolution in the subfamily Megerliinae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Eric G; Logan, Alan; Zuschin, Martin; Mainguy, Jerome; Mottequin, Bernard

    2016-07-08

    Two new kraussinid brachiopod genera, namely Lenticellaria gen. nov. and Hillerella gen. nov. are described from Pacific waters in the sub-equatorial zone in the Indonesian Archipelago, from Indian Ocean waters in Madagascar and from Red Sea waters in Egypt (Gulf of Aqaba) and Sudan. This fills the equatorial gap in the distribution of the superfamily Kraussinoidea, known from higher latitudes in both hemispheres. The micromorphic new material described is an excellent example of homeomorphy in brachiopods. It also provides new information on the distribution of the genus Megerlia sensu stricto and illustrates subtle variations in the evolutionary process of the reduced brachidium in Kraussinoidea.

  3. Hábitos de Vida da Associação “Schuchertella”agassizi – Pthychopteria eschwegei, Formação Maecuru,Devoniano, Bacia do Amazonas, Brasil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiza Corral Martins de Oliveira Ponciano

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available The fossils studied came from outcrops of the Maecuru and Curuá rivers, State of Pará, belonging to the upper strata of theMaecuru Formation, Eifelian age. In this formation, two associations of marine benthic invertebrate can be identified, each inferring adistinct paleoenvironment. The association analyzed occurs in medium and coarse sandstones and shows “Schuchertella” agassizi andPtychopeteria eschwegei as predominant organisms. It was idnetified 12 species of brachiopods, 20 species of bivalves, 12 of trilobites,8 of gastropods, 6 of bellerophonts, 3 of crinoids and 3 of tentaculitids in this association. Brachiopods are the most abundant organisms,responsible for approximately 50% of it, followed by tentaculitids and bivalves. Trilobites, gastropods and bellerophonts sum less than10% of the aforementioned association. Crinoids were not included in the quantitative analysis because they are only found as calicinalplates and disarticulated column disks. The brachiopods showed, through their morphofunctional characteristics, suspension feedersrecumbent (free-lying epifaunal life habit or a pedicle attached mode of life. The bivalves showed a predominant suspension feeder semiinfaunalhabit, attached by byssus threads to the substratum, and an infaunal mode of life. All the trilobites showed a predator/scavengerand vagile epifaunal habit. The epifaunal platyceratids represents the gastropods with low mobility (coprophagous/suspension feeders.The bellerophonts showed an epifaunal highly/medium mobility and grazing/predator habit. The tentaculitids having a semi-infaunal,suspension feeder habit. The suspension feeder forms (brachiopods, bivalves and tentaculitids account for over 90% of the organisms, withthe remaining percentage distributed among the predator/scavenger (trilobites, coprophagous/suspension feeders (gastropods, grazers/predators (bellerophonts and deposit feeders (rare bivalves. The predominance of suspension feeder forms

  4. Paleocommunity turnover in an Early Pliocene seamount from southeastern Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Ramos, Diego Antonio; Zuschin, Martin

    2017-04-01

    remarkable bryoliths of Celleporaria palmata, Turbicellepora coronopus, and reteporiform colonies of Reteporella sp. in the less densely-packed beds. The cirripede Creusia phryxa is very common. Pectinid assemblages are dominated by Hinnites crispus, H. ercolanianus, Manupecten pesfelis, Mimachlamys varia and Crassadoma multistriata. Oysters are represented by Neopycnodonte and large Hyotissa. The upper part of the lower interval records clumps of Neopycnodonte sp. This is the Pliocene locality in Spain recording the highest diversity of brachiopods: Novocrania anomala, Joania cordata, Megathiris detruncata, Megerlia truncata, Terebratulina retusa, Lacazella mediterranea, Aphelesia bipartita and Terebratula calabra. The latter two species are more abundant in the middle part of the section, Terebratula forming pavements. Most common echinoids are Stylocidaris? sp., Echinocyamus, and Arbacina, while fragments of spatangoids like Ova and Spatangus are less common. Crinoid cirrals and ophiourid vertebrae are scarce. The upper interval commences with sparse rhodolith debris while at the very top complete rhodoliths are the dominant bioclasts together with pectinids. Common taxa in the lower interval decrease in abundance or disappear. Pectinids are replaced by Pecten spp. and rare Gigantopecten latissimus; Aequipecten scabrellus is most abundant in the middle part and A. opercularis dominates at the very top. Fragments of Clypeaster start to occur and Ostrea is increasingly common. Preliminary results indicate a decrease of diversity concomitant with a shallowing upward trend.

  5. Exotic plant species attack revegetation plants in post-coal mining areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusuf, Muhammad; Arisoesilaningsih, Endang

    2017-11-01

    This study aimed to explore some invasive exotic plant species that have the potential to disrupt the growth of revegetation plants in post-coal mining areas. This research was conducted in a revegetation area of PT, Amanah Anugerah Adi Mulia (A3M) Kintap site, South Borneo. Direct observation was carried out on some revegetation areas by observing the growth of revegetation plants disturbed by exotic plant species and the spread of exotic plant species. Based on observation, several invasive exotic plant species were identified including Mikania cordata, Centrosema pubescence, Calopogonium mucunoides, Mimosa pudica, Ageratum conyzoides, and Chromolaena odorata. These five plant species grew wild in the revegetation area and showed ability to disrupt the growth of other plants. In some tree species, such as Acacia mangium, Paraserianthes falcataria, M. cordata could inhibit the growth and even kill the trees through covering the tree canopy. So, the trees could not receive optimum sun light for photosynthesis processes. M. cordata was also observed to have the most widespread distribution. Several exotic plant species such as C. mucunoides, M. pudica, and A. conyzoides were observed to have deep root systems compared with plant species used for revegetation. This growth characteristic allowed exotic plant species to win the competition for nutrient absorption with other plant species.

  6. Position of the Upper Devonian Frasnian--Famennian boundary in the central Appalachians

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rossbach, T.J. (Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Dept. of Geology)

    1992-01-01

    Biostratigraphic analysis of eight Upper Devonian sections in VA and WV reveals that the section at Huttonsville, Randolph County, WV, is a key locality for determining the Frasnian-Famennian boundary. The Foreknobs Formation at Huttonsville indicates a higher stratigraphic placement of the Frasnian-Famennian boundary than has been generally assumed. Conodonts are not known within that section, so placement of the boundary uses the last occurrence of tentaculitids and the last and first occurrences of several species of brachiopods. It is believed that the Frasnian-Famennian boundary can be identified independently of the atrypoid brachiopods. Stratigraphic ranges of the cricoconarid Tentaculites discusses and the brachiopod Tropidoleptus carinatus, both considered Frasnian marker fossils, indicate that the Frasnian extends well into the Red Lick Member of the Foreknobs Formation at Huttonsville, with T. carinatus occurring up to 70% of the stratigraphic thickness of the Red Lick. The Famennian marker fossils A. angelica and C. sulcifer are both found at Huttonsville above the last recorded occurrence of all the Frasnian marker fossils. To the northeast of Huttonsville the Frasnian-Famennian series boundary has been placed by other workers within or at the top of the Pound Member of the Foreknobs Formation. This discrepancy implies that either the Pound Member is diachronous or that to the northeast paleoecologic factors caused local disappearances of critical fossils before their extinction at Huttonsville.

  7. Homeobox gene expression in Brachiopoda

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Altenburger, Andreas; Martinez, Pedro; Wanninger, Andreas

    2011-01-01

    (ectoderm) specification with co-opted functions in notochord formation in chordates and left/right determination in ambulacrarians and vertebrates. The caudal ortholog, TtrCdx, is first expressed in the ectoderm of the gastrulating embryo in the posterior region of the blastopore. Its expression stays......The molecular control that underlies brachiopod ontogeny is largely unknown. In order to contribute to this issue we analyzed the expression pattern of two homeobox containing genes, Not and Cdx, during development of the rhynchonelliform (i.e., articulate) brachiopod Terebratalia transversa...... completion of larval development, which is marked by a three-lobed body with larval setae. Expression starts at gastrulation in two areas lateral to the blastopore and subsequently extends over the animal pole of the gastrula. With elongation of the gastrula, expression at the animal pole narrows to a small...

  8. Comunidade de Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apidae das dunas litorâneas do Abaeté, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blandina Felipe Viana

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Community of Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apidae from the coastal sand dunes of Abaeté, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The Euglossini community structure was analyzed by attracting males with the scents eucalyptol, eugenol, vanillin, benzyl benzoate and methyl salicylate, and by netting bees on flowers. The samplings took place three times a month along one year from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The scent baits attracted 670 individuals belonging to seven species of three genus. The predominant species were Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758 (76.6% and Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 (21.8%. Euglossini males visited the scents along the whole year, being more abundant in May and in August. The most efficient fragrance was eucalyptol, attracting 624 individuals of five species. The males abundance fluctuated along the day, being the highest frequency observed between 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Forty eigth Euglossini females of four species were netted visiting flowers of 14 plant species belonging to 13 families. Solanaceae and Caesalpiniaceae were the most visited. The species catched on flowers were Euglossa cordata, Eulaema nigrita, Euplusia mussitans (Fabricius, 1787 and Eulaema meriana flavescens Friese 1899. Euglossa cordata was the predominant species on flowers (64.6%, being collected during almost the whole year. Euplusia mussitans was the only species netted on flowers which males were not sampled on the scents.

  9. Oxygen-isotope trends and seawater temperature changes across the Late Cambrian Steptoean positive carbon-isotope excursion (SPICE event)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elrick, M.; Rieboldt, S.; Saltzman, M.; McKay, R.M.

    2011-01-01

    The globally recognized Late Cambrian Steptoean positive C-isotope excursion (SPICE) is characterized by a 3???-5??? positive ??13C shift spanning SPICE represents a widespread ocean anoxic event leading to enhanced burial/preservation of organic matter (Corg) and pyrite. We analyzed ??18O values of apatitic inarticulate brachiopods from three Upper Cambrian successions across Laurentia to evaluate paleotemperatures during the SPICE. ??18O values range from ~12.5??? to 16.5???. Estimated seawater temperatures associated with the SPICE are unreasonably warm, suggesting that the brachiopod ??18O values were altered during early diagenesis. Despite this, all three localities show similar trends with respect to the SPICE ??13C curve, suggesting that the brachiopod apatite preserves a record of relative ??18O and temperature changes. The trends include relatively high ??18O values at the onset of the SPICE, decreasing and lowest values during the main event, and an increase in values at the end of the event. The higher ??18O values during the global extinction at the onset of the SPICE suggests seawater cooling and supports earlier hypotheses of upwelling of cool waters onto the shallow shelf. Decreasing and low ??18O values coincident with the rising limb of the SPICE support the hypothesis that seawater warming and associated reduced thermohaline circulation rates contributed to decreased dissolved O2 concentrations, which enhanced the preservation/burial of Corg causing the positive ??13C shift. ?? 2011 Geological Society of America.

  10. Brachiopodové fauny triasu a jury v oblasti Salzkammergut v Rakousku

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Siblík, Miloš

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 2006, - (2007), s. 166-167 ISSN 0514-8057 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : brachiopods * Triassic * Jurassic Subject RIV: EG - Zoology http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2006/2006-str.166-167.pdf

  11. Stratigraphy and macrofauna of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation, central Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Sorogy, Abdelbaset S.; Gameil, Mohamed; Youssef, Mohamed; Al-Kahtany, Khaled M.

    2017-10-01

    The stratigraphy and macrofaunal content of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation was studied at Khashm adh Dhibi, central Saudi Arabia. The studied succession is dominated by limestones and dolomites, with subordinate occurrences of sandstones, siltstones and claystones. The formation is highly fossiliferous with brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves, ammonites and echinoids, particularly the lower and upper members. Twenty nine species are identified, they include 7 species of brachiopods, 8 gastropods, 8 bivalves, 4 ammonites and 2 echinoids. Many of the identified fauna are correlated with Jurassic equivalents in Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Egypt and India. Three gastropod species: Globularia subumbilicata, Ampullospira sp., Purpuroidea peristriata and seven bivalve species: Palaeonucula lateralis, Chlamys (Radulopecten) fibrosa, Eligmus weiri, E.integer, E. asiaticus, Musculus somaliensis and Pholadomya orientalis were recognized for the first time in the Lower Jurassic deposits of Saudi Arabia.

  12. Soil water regime and evapotranspiration of sites with trees and lawn in Moscow

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bondarenko, V.

    2009-01-01

    Keywords: Urban vegetation, Tilia cordata, linden, lawn, grass, Leaf Area Index, LAI, digital image processing, evapotranspiration, water stress, electric conductivity, salinity stress, Makkink’s radiation model, deep percolation, water infiltration, runoff, modelling

    Situations where

  13. Forest Vegetation with Festuca drymeja in Slovakia – Syntaxonomy and Ecology

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Máliš, František; Jarolímek, I.; Kliment, J.; Slezák, M.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 53, č. 2 (2013), s. 265-288 ISSN 0079-2047 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : Symphyto cordatae-Fagion * Carpathians * temperate deciduous and mixed forests Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.388, year: 2013

  14. Invertebrates and Plants :: NOAA Fisheries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Invertebrates & Plants Species of Concern Threatened & Endangered Health & Stranding Marine Mammals Chart Partnerships Fisheries Home » Protected Resources » Species Invertebrates and Plants White Marine Sanctuary Mollusks, corals, and brachiopods are three groups of marine invertebrates. To view ESA

  15. Mississippi River, Baton Rouge to the Gulf, Louisiana, Project. Supplement II.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-04-01

    Hlydrocotyl Persimmon Diospyros virginiana Picke relweed Pontederia cordata Rattlebox Daubentonia drummundii Rose au Phragmites australis Saltgrass Distichlis...menhaden, genus Brevoortia, with respect to salinity, in the upper drainage basin of Barataria Bay, Louisiana. M.S. Thesis. Louisiana State University

  16. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. in Java

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steenis, van C.G.G.J.

    1937-01-01

    Towards the end of February 1936 we received living specimens of this species, which is hitherto known only from Japan, China, the Indochinese Peninsula und Himalaya, collected in West Java, Preanger Residency, by Mr H. W. Kluit, employé of the plantation Ardjoena, section Karang-Toemaritis. The

  17. An early 'handwritten' shell exchange catalogue of the Leiden Museum, with notes on the collectors Rethaan Macaré and Tischbein

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruggen, van A.C.

    2013-01-01

    A ‘handwritten’ (lithographed) shell exchange catalogue of the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden (The Netherlands), dated 1850 and containing 864 nominal taxa (861 molluscs and 3 brachiopods), is discussed in the context of the history of the museum. This catalogue must have been

  18. Florae Malesianae Precursores II. The Convolvulaceae of Malaysia IX

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogland, R.D.

    1953-01-01

    Erycibe beccariana Hoogl. sp. nov. — Frutex scandens, ramulis junioribus sparsim stellato-hirsutis, adultioribus glabrescentibus cortice rimis longitudinalibus fisso. Folia elliptica ad elliptico-oblonga, 9—13 X 4— 71/2 cm, apice breviter acuminata, basi rotundata vel minute cordata, supra glabra,

  19. GROWTH-RATES OF SHRUBS ON DIFFERENT SOILS IN TANZANIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    PRINS, HHT; VANDERJEUGD, HP

    1992-01-01

    Because little is known of growth rates of shrubs in East Africa, the growth rates of Acalypha fructicosa, Gardenia jovis-tonantis, Justicia cordata, Maerua triphylla, and Ocimum suave were measured in Lake Manyara National Park, northern Tanzania. Branch diameter increments and branch length

  20. Growth rates of shrubs on different soils in Tanzania.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prins, H.H.T.; Jeugd, van der H.P.

    1992-01-01

    Because little is known of growth rates of shrubs in East Africa, the growth rates of Acalypha fructicosa, Gardenia jovis-tonantis, Justicia cordata, Maerua triphylla, and Ocimum suave were measured in Lake Manyara National Park, northern Tanzania. Branch diameter increments and branch length

  1. The highest-latitude Foliomena Fauna (Upper Ordovician, Portugal) and its palaeogeographical and palaeoecological significance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Colmenar Lallena, Jorge; Pereira, Sofia; Sá, Artur Abreu

    2017-01-01

    of the Portuguese Buçaco-Penacova region (Central Iberian Zone). The three studied localities have yielded different associations, composed of 15 species of brachiopods and two trilobites, including both key elements of the deep water Foliomena Fauna and taxa typically from shallower benthic biotas, e...

  2. Mass extinctions: Ecological selectivity and primary production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, Melissa Clark; Thayer, Charles W.

    1991-09-01

    If mass extinctions were caused by reduced primary productivity, then extinctions should be concentrated among animals with starvation-susceptible feeding modes, active lifestyles, and high-energy budgets. The stratigraphic ranges (by stage) of 424 genera of bivalves and 309 genera of articulate brachiopods suggest that there was an unusual reduction of primary productivity at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary extinction. For bivalves at the K/T, there were (1) selective extinction of suspension feeders and other susceptible trophic categories relative to deposit feeders and other resistant categories, and (2) among suspension feed-ers, selective extinction of bivalves with active locomotion. During the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) extinction and Jurassic background time, extinction rates among suspension feeders were greater for articulate brachiopods than for bivalves. But during the K/T event, extinction rates of articulates and suspension-feeding bivalves equalized, possibly because the low-energy budgets of articulates gave them an advantage when food was scarce.

  3. Effects of salicylic acid on monoterpene production and antioxidant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Salicylic acid (SA) plays important roles in plant defense responses. However, little is available about its effects on monoterpene responses. Therefore, monoterpene contents and antioxidant systems were measured three days after foliar application of SA with different concentrations in Houttuynia cordata. SA at low ...

  4. Semiplanus (Productida, Brachiopoda) from the Carboniferous limestone of Kotaki, Niigata Prefecture, central Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Ibaraki, Yousuke; Sato, Kiichi

    2013-01-01

    An Early Carboniferous large–sized productid brachiopod species, Semiplanus semiplanus (Schwetzow, 1922), is described from the Tsuchikurazawa Limestone (upper Visean–Serpukhovian), a limestone block within a Permian accretionary complex, distributed in the Kotaki area, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, central Japan. This is the first record of Semipanus species from Japan.

  5. Late Devonian (Frasnian) bivalves from the Nocedo Formation: the results of Wilhelm Kegel’s 1927 field trip to northern Spain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amler, M.R.W.

    2010-01-01

    During a field trip to the Peña-Corada Unit of the southernmost Esla region of the Cantabrian Mountains in 1927, the German stratigrapher Wilhelm Kegel sampled brachiopods and bivalves from a section in the Laoz valley near La Ercina. The stratigraphic position is believed to be part of the Nocedo

  6. Vegetative propagation of native species potentially useful in the restoration of México City's vegetation Propagación vegetativa de especies nativas potencialmente útiles en la restauración de la vegetación de la ciudad de México

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renato Ramos-Palacios

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Hardwood and softwood cuttings of Buddleja cordata HBK, Dodonaea viscosa Jacq and Senecio praecox D.C. were tested to know their ability to form adventitious roots. Cuttings were prepared in 2 different seasons (wet and dry and treated with different microclimatic conditions and auxin concentrations (IBA and NAA. Hardwood and softwood cuttings of B. cordata rooted during the dry and wet season, whilst hardwood and softwood cuttings of D. viscosa rooted only in the wet season, cuttings of S. praecox rooted only in wet season with a higher rooting for hardwood than softwood cuttings. Low hormone concentrations (10 - 100 ppm favored the rooting percentage more than high concentrations (1000 - 10 000 ppm. However, high hormone concentrations favored number, length of roots and number of developed shoots. Natural regeneration of these species is limited and the species are difficult to propagate from seeds. Vegetative propagation of these species could be an alternative to get clonal planting stock for reforestation programs in some Mexico City areas.Se probó la habilidad de estacas lignificadas y suaves de Buddleja cordata HBK, Dodonaea viscosa Jacq y Senecio praecox D.C. para formar raíces adventicias. Las estacas se prepararon en las estaciones húmeda y seca; se trataron con diferentes concentraciones de auxinas (IBA y NAA y en diferentes condiciones microclimáticas. Las estacas de madera lignificadas y madera suave de B. cordata enraizaron durante la estación seca y húmeda, mientras que las de D. viscosa lo hicieron sólo en la época húmeda, las estacas de S. praecox sólo en la estación seca teniendo las estacas lignificadas un mayor enraizamiento que las de madera suave. Las concentraciones bajas de hormonas (10 - 100 ppm favorecieron más el porcentaje de enraizamiento que las altas concentraciones (1000 - 10 000 ppm. . Sin embargo, las concentraciones altas de hormonas favorecieron el número y la longitud de las raíces, además del

  7. A new species of Combretum from East Borneo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Exell, A.W.

    1954-01-01

    Combretum kostermansii Exell, sp. nov. Frutex scandens, ramulis primo fulvo-pilosis et tomentellis demum sparse pilosis, atro-rubris. Folia opposita breviter petiolata, petiolo 1—3 mm longo, piloso, lamina chartacea, ovata vel oblongo-ovata, basi cordata, apice acuminata, 2—7 X 1.8—3.6 cm, supra

  8. The Carboniferous of the Western Karakoram (Pakistan)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaetani, M.; Zanchi, A.; Angiolini, L.; Olivini, G.; Sciunnach, D.; Brunton, H.; Nicora, A.; Mawson, R.

    2004-05-01

    The results of the study of the Carboniferous successions in the western part of the Northern Karakoram during three geological expeditions are summarized here. Rocks of that period are not uniformly preserved in the several thrust sheets forming the Northern Karakoram. In most of them only the basal part of the Carboniferous, up to the Visean, is preserved, whilst in the Karambar thrust sheet a more complete section—previously almost unknown—is preserved. Four new lithostratigraphic units, time-constrained by brachiopod and conodont biostratigraphy, are described, from bottom to top: (1) the Margach Formation: prevailing dark shales with subordinate fine subarkoses and quartzarenites, up to 300 m thick (mid-Famennian to middle Tournaisian); (2) the Ribat Formation: grey crinoidal limestones passing upwards to dark marly limestones and marls, at least 300 m thick (middle Tournaisian to Serpukhovian); (3) the Lupsuk Formation: subarkoses to feldspathic quartzarenites in thick beds, alternating with dark shales and siltstones, up to 400 m thick (Serpukhovian to uppermost Carboniferous); (4) within the Lupsuk Formation a local member, the Twin Valleys Member, up to 100 m thick, a bioclastic limestone intercalation of post-Moscovian age, is distinguished. The Carboniferous successions are invariably sealed by the arkoses to quartzarenites of the Gircha Formation, 133 m above the base of which, in the Karambar area, an Asselian brachiopod fauna was recovered. The Carboniferous succession is interpreted as recording the evolution of the passive margin of the Northern Karakoram Terrane, from early rifting stage in the Late Devonian to syn-rift events during the Late Carboniferous. The basal part of the Gircha Formation, of latest Carboniferous-earliest Permian age, is considered to have been deposited above a break-up unconformity, linked to the early drifting in the seaway bordering the Karakoram. In the palaeontological appendix the most significant brachiopod taxa

  9. Simultaneous determination of vasicine and vasicinone by High-performance liquid chromatography in roots of eight Sida species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramanya, M D; Pai, Sandeep R; Ankad, Gireesh M; Hegde, Harsha V; Roy, Subarna; Hoti, S L

    2016-01-01

    Sida L. is a medicinally important genus widely used in conventional systems of medicine in India. The present study aims toward simultaneous determination of two bioactive compounds vasicine and vasicinone in root extracts of eight Sida spp. from Western Ghats, India. Determination of vasicine and vasicinone was undertaken in methanolic root extracts (10% w/v) of Sida acuta , Sida cordata , Sida cordifolia , Sida rhombifolia , Sida spinosa , Sida indica , Sida retusa and Sida mysorensis by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The standards were prepared with the concentration of mg/mL. Data were expressed as mean values of three reading and relative standard deviations. The separation was achieved on a Waters, Nova-Pack, C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μ) column, with acetonitrile - 0.1 M phosphate buffer-glacial acetic acid (15: 85: 1, v/v/v) as solvent system at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL/min. The effluent was monitored using ultraviolet detection at a wavelength of 300 nm. Both calibration curves of standard showed good linear regression ( R 2 > 0.994). The limit of detection and the limit of quantification for vasicine was 0.110 and 0.333 μg/mL and for vasicinone was 0.059 and 0.179 μg/mL respectively. The vasicine content was highest in S. cordifolia (9.891 ± 0.495 μg/100 mg) and vasicinone content was rich in S. cordata (33.013 ± 1.651 μg/100 mg.) The content of vasicinone was higher than vasicine. HPLC method provides simple, accurate, and reproducible quantitative analysis for simultaneous determination of vasicine and vasicinone. Among the selected Sida species, S. cordifolia and S. cordata were found to be rich in the vasicine and vasicinone contents, respectively.

  10. Uptake of metals and metalloids by plants growing in a lead-zinc mine area, Northern Vietnam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, Nguyen Thi Hoang; Sakakibara, Masayuki; Sano, Sakae; Nhuan, Mai Trong

    2011-01-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the phytoremediation and phytomining potential of 10 plant species growing naturally at one of the largest lead-zinc mines in Northern Vietnam. Total concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic were determined in the plant and in associated soil and water in and outside of the mine area. The results indicate that hyperaccumulation levels (mg kg -1 dry weight) were obtained in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (1140) and Pteris vittata L. (3750) for arsenic, and in Ageratum houstonianum Mill. (1130), Potamogeton oxyphyllus Miq. (4210), and P. vittata (1020) for lead. To the best of our knowledge, the present paper is the first report on metal accumulation and hyperaccumulation by H. cordata, A. houstonianum, and P. oxyphyllus. Based on the obtained concentrations of metals, bioconcentration and translocation factors, as well as the biomass of these plants, the two latter species and P. vittata are good candidates for phytoremediation of sites contaminated with arsenic and multi-metals. None of the collected plants was suitable for phytomining, given their low concentrations of useful metals (e.g., silver, gallium, and indium).

  11. Uptake of metals and metalloids by plants growing in a lead-zinc mine area, Northern Vietnam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ha, Nguyen Thi Hoang [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Sakakibara, Masayuki, E-mail: sakakiba@sci.ehime-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Sano, Sakae [Department of Geology, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Nhuan, Mai Trong [Department of Environmental Geology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

    2011-02-28

    This study was conducted to evaluate the phytoremediation and phytomining potential of 10 plant species growing naturally at one of the largest lead-zinc mines in Northern Vietnam. Total concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic were determined in the plant and in associated soil and water in and outside of the mine area. The results indicate that hyperaccumulation levels (mg kg{sup -1} dry weight) were obtained in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (1140) and Pteris vittata L. (3750) for arsenic, and in Ageratum houstonianum Mill. (1130), Potamogeton oxyphyllus Miq. (4210), and P. vittata (1020) for lead. To the best of our knowledge, the present paper is the first report on metal accumulation and hyperaccumulation by H. cordata, A. houstonianum, and P. oxyphyllus. Based on the obtained concentrations of metals, bioconcentration and translocation factors, as well as the biomass of these plants, the two latter species and P. vittata are good candidates for phytoremediation of sites contaminated with arsenic and multi-metals. None of the collected plants was suitable for phytomining, given their low concentrations of useful metals (e.g., silver, gallium, and indium).

  12. Chesapeake Bay Low Freshwater Inflow Study. Biota Assessment. Phase I. Appendices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-08-01

    Resources Coastal Resources Power Plant Siting Maryland Geological Survey Maryland Environmental Health Administration university of Maryland Marine...are very common: Acorus calamus Polygonum spp. Hibiscus palustris Pontederia cordata Leersia spp. Sagittaria latifolia Nuphar leiteum Typha... Hibiscus ) penetrate to mesohaline salinities. In general, the fresh water marsh associations are limited to areas upstream of 3 - 50Xsalinity

  13. Lipid and fatty acid fractions in Lingula anatina (Brachiopoda): an intertidal benthic fauna in the West Bengal-Orissa coast, India

    OpenAIRE

    Samaresh Samanta; Tapas Kumar Das; Amalesh Choudhury; Susanta Kumar Chakraborty

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To record the fractional components of lipid and polyunsaturated fatty acids of Lingula anatina (L. anatina), a Precambrian intertidal benthic brachiopod, giving emphasis on -ω series group especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) alongside assessing their biotransformation within the population and mangrove-estuarine associated community. Methods: Different biological samples after being collected from three contrasting study sites viz. ...

  14. Additional Gigantoproductus species from the upper Visean-Namurian limestone of Kotaki, central Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Ibaraki, Yousuke; Tazawa, Jun-ichi; Nakamura, Yukio

    2010-01-01

    A large productid brachiopod species, Gigantoproductus aurita (Bolkhovitinova, 1938), is described from the Tsuchikurazawa Limestone (upper Visean-Namurian), a large limestone block within a Permian accretionary complex of Kotaki, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, central Japan. This is the fourth described Gigantoproductus species from the Tsuchikurazawa Limestone. The range of G. aurita may extend to late Visean on the basis of the previous fossil records of the limestone.

  15. Intoxicações por plantas diagnosticadas em ruminantes e equinos e estimativa das perdas econômicas na Paraíba Plant poisonings diagnosed in ruminants and horses and estimation of the economical losses in Paraíba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tales S. Assis

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Foi realizado um levantamento dos surtos de intoxicações por plantas em ruminantes e equinos diagnosticados no Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária (LPV, do Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, Paraíba, no período de 2000-2007. Em bovinos 7,4% dos diagnósticos realizados pelo LPV foram intoxicações por plantas. Foram diagnosticadas intoxicações por Centhraterum brachylepis (um surto, Brachiaria spp. (um surto, Crotalaria retusa (dois surtos, Ipomoea batatas (um surto, Marsdenia sp. (um surto, gramíneas contendo nitratos e nitritos (um surto por Echinochloa polystachya e dois surtos por Pennisetum purpureum, Palicourea aeneofusca (um surto, Prosopis juliflora (três surtos, Nerium oleander (um surto e Mimosa tenuiflora (sete surtos. Na espécie ovina 13% dos diagnósticos foram intoxicações por plantas. Os surtos foram causados por Ipomoea asarifolia (quatro surtos, Brachiaria spp. (três surtos, Crotalaria retusa (dois surtos, Tephrosia cinerea (dois surtos, Panicum dichotomiflorum (um surto, Mascagnia rigida (um surto e malformações associadas à ingestão de Mimosa tenuiflora (20 surtos. Nos caprinos, 6,4% dos diagnósticos corresponderam à intoxicação por plantas. Sete surtos foram causados por Mimosa tenuiflora, um por Ipomoea asarifolia, um por Ipomoea carnea, um por Ipomoea riedelli, três por Prosopis juliflora, um por Arrabidaea corallina, dois por Aspidosperma pyrifolium, dois por Turbina cordata e um por Opuntia ficus-indica. Na espécie equina 14% das doenças diagnosticadas foram devidas a intoxicações por plantas, sendo 12 surtos por Crotalaria retusa e um por Turbina cordata. As perdas na Paraíba por plantas tóxicas são estimadas em 3.895 bovinos, 8.374 ovinos, 6.390 caprinos e 366 equinos, que representam uma perda econômica anual, por morte de animais, de R$ 2.733.097,00. São relatados alguns aspectos epidemiológicos, sinais clínicos e patologia de surtos de

  16. Grounds Conservation Management Plan (1982-1991), Fish and Wildlife Management Plan (1982-1991), Forest Resource Management Plan (1979-1988).

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-06-01

    cattails and phragmites interspersed with other marsh plants such as bulrushes, smooth (saltmarsh) cordgrass, smartweed, marshmallow , and sedges. 9...cutgrasses (Leersia spp.) and crimson-eyed marshmallows just below the dam. Above the dam are sparse stands of muskgrass (Chara spp.). The upper reaches of...Gambo (far above the dam) are dominated by pickeral plant (Pontedoria cordata), crimson-eyed marshmallow , spikerushes and denser stands of muskgrass

  17. Evaluation of effects of hydrogel on allergic dermatitis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Chang Deok [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-05-15

    In this study, radiation-irradiated natural extracts including Houttuynia cordata Thunb, Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, Glechoma longituba, Plantago asiatica, and Morus alba were selected as the effective materials on allergy and inflammation. Hydroatogel and cosmetics that are made of radiation-irradiated natural extracts showed no skin irritation. Hydroatogel showed beneficial effect on atopy dermatitis in clinical test. It also showed significant skin barrier recovery effect

  18. Evaluation of effects of hydrogel on allergic dermatitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Chang Deok

    2010-05-01

    In this study, radiation-irradiated natural extracts including Houttuynia cordata Thunb, Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, Glechoma longituba, Plantago asiatica, and Morus alba were selected as the effective materials on allergy and inflammation. Hydroatogel and cosmetics that are made of radiation-irradiated natural extracts showed no skin irritation. Hydroatogel showed beneficial effect on atopy dermatitis in clinical test. It also showed significant skin barrier recovery effect

  19. Revison of an Atheloptic Visean Trilobite Association in the Moravian Karst (Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rak Štěpán

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently two new trilobite occurrences were discovered during geological mapping of fossiliferous shales of the Březina Formation around the village of Březina in the Moravian Karst (Czech Republic. The newly discovered localities are extraordinary because of the unexpected occurrence of articulated trilobite exoskeletons associated with brachiopods including supporting spines. The new atheloptic association of Mississippian trilobites is described for the first time from the Moravian Karst.

  20. Isotopic and elemental proxies in mollusc and brachiopod calcite

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ullmann, Clemens Vinzenz

    composition of the oceans have changed. These changes of environmental conditions and seawater composition are primarily caused by plate tectonic processes, the cyclic variations of the Earth’s orbital parameters and living organisms, actively causing, and passively adapting to shifting conditions...

  1. Biofacies and habitats of Brereton Limestone member (Carbondale Formation, Middle Pennsylvanian), Southwestern Illinois

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Connell, D.B.; Utgaard, J.

    1983-09-01

    The Brereton Limestone is a shallow-water, open-marine carbonate deposited over peat or delta-plain muds after delta abandonment and a marine transgression. Data on autecology, lithology, insoluble residue content, and thickness were used to interpret the habitats of each biofacies. Biofacies V, a low-diversity biofacies dominated by brachiopods and ostracods, occupied turbid-water, mud- or shelly mud-bottom areas during influxes of detrital clays late in the abandonment of the Herrin delta and, also, early in the construction of the Jamestown delta. Low-relief carbonate mud mounds accumulated within and around baffles provided by thickets of phylloid algae and foraminifers, are capped locally by biofacies VI, a low-diversity biofacies dominated by ostracods. Biofacies VI, occupied the high subtidal to supratidal crests of algal mud mounds which had a stressed (possibly hypersaline) environment. Deeper water mud mounds were occupied by either Biofacies III, a crinoid-mixed fossil biofacies, or by Biofacies IV, which is dominated by fusulinids, strophomenids, and trilobites. Biofacies II, dominated by sponges, mollusks, and impunctate brachiopods, generally occurred on the flanks of the shallow-water mounds. Biofacies I, III, and IV also occurred in broad, muddy intermound areas and Biofacies III in narrow, winnowed intermound areas.

  2. Harvest Amounts and Ethnobotanical Uses of the Lime flowers in Turkey

    OpenAIRE

    TUTTU, Gamze; URSAVAŞ, Serhat; SÖYLER, Recep

    2018-01-01

    Lime flowers, significantly used in medical and cosmetic industries dueto the active substances they contained. Medically valued ones usually containstannins, mucilage, sugar, fixed oils, gum in flower (Tilia cordata Mill. ve T.platyphyllos Scop.). In addition, ithas essential oils as of 0,5%; in this essential oilcompound, there is present seskiterperik substance called parnesol. Its ash hasvery rich manganese. Its leafs, contains the useful glycosides called Tiliac.The delightful smells of ...

  3. Prolonged Permian–Triassic ecological crisis recorded by molluscan dominance in Late Permian offshore assemblages

    OpenAIRE

    Clapham, Matthew E.; Bottjer, David J.

    2007-01-01

    The end-Permian mass extinction was the largest biotic crisis in the history of animal life, eliminating as many as 95% of all species and dramatically altering the ecological structure of marine communities. Although the causes of this pronounced ecosystem shift have been widely debated, the broad consensus based on inferences from global taxonomic diversity patterns suggests that the shift from abundant brachiopods to dominant molluscs was abrupt and largely driven by the catastrophic effec...

  4. A new species of Conchicolites (Cornulitida, Tentaculita from the Wenlock of Gotland, Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olev Vinn

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available A new cornulitid species, Conchicolites crispisulcans sp. nov., is described from the Wenlock of Gotland, Sweden. The undulating edge of C. crispisulcans sp. nov. peristomes is unique among the species of Conchicolites. This undulating peristome edge may reflect the position of setae at the tube aperture. The presence of the undulating peristome edge supports the hypothesis that cornulitids had setae and were probably related to brachiopods.

  5. Facies and age of the Oso Ridge Member (new), Abo Formation, Zuni Mountains, New Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, A.K.; Stamm, R.G.; Kottlowski, F.E.; Mamet, B.L.; Dutro, J.T.; Weary, D.J.

    1994-01-01

    The Oso Ridge Member (new), at the base of the Abo Formation, nonconformably overlies Proterozoic rocks. The member consists of some 9m of conglomerate and arkose composed principally of fragments of the underlying Proterozoic metamorphic rocks; thin, fossiliferous limestone lenses are interbedded with the arkose. Biota from the lenses include a phylloid alga, foraminifers, conodonts, brachiopods, and molluscs. The age of the Oso Ridge Member is Virgilian Late Pennsylvanian) to Wolfcampian (Early Permian). -from Authors

  6. An early (1850) 'handwritten' shell exchange catalogue of the Leiden Museum, with notes on the collectors Rethaan Macaré and Tischbein

    OpenAIRE

    Bruggen, van, A.C.

    2013-01-01

    A ‘handwritten’ (lithographed) shell exchange catalogue of the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden (The Netherlands), dated 1850 and containing 864 nominal taxa (861 molluscs and 3 brachiopods), is discussed in the context of the history of the museum. This catalogue must have been distributed in a limited edition to shell collectors interested in the exchange of specimens. Among the exchange partners of the museum were the well-known 19th century Dutch collector Lady (later Dowager) F...

  7. Soil amendments effects on radiocesium translocation in forest soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Yuki; Ozawa, Hajime; Umemura, Mitsutoshi; Takenaka, Chisato

    2016-12-01

    We conducted an experiment to investigate the potential of phytoremediation by soil amendments in a forest area. To desorb radiocesium ( 137 Cs) from variable charges in the soil, ammonium sulfate (NH 4 + ) and elemental sulfur (S) (which decrease soil pH) were applied to forest soil collected from contaminated area at a rate of 40 and 80 g/m 2 , respectively. A control condition with no soil treatment was also considered. We defined four groups of aboveground conditions: planted with Quercus serrata, planted with Houttuynia cordata, covered with rice straw as litter, and unplanted/uncovered (control). Cultivation was performed in a greenhouse with a regular water supply for four months. Following elemental sulfur treatment, soil pH values were significantly lower than pH values following ammonium sulfate treatment and no treatment. During cultivation, several plant species germinated from natural seeds. No clear differences in aboveground tissue 137 Cs concentrations in planted Q. serrata and H. cordata were observed among the treatments. However, aboveground tissue 137 Cs concentration values in the germinated plants following elemental sulfur treatment were higher than the values following the ammonium sulfate treatment and no treatment. Although biomass values for Q. serrata, H. cordata, and germinated plants following elemental sulfur treatment tended to be low, the total 137 Cs activities in the aboveground tissue of germinated plants were higher than those following ammonium sulfate treatment and no treatment in rice straw and unplanted conditions. Although no significant differences were observed, 137 Cs concentrations in rice straw following ammonium sulfate and elemental sulfur treatments tended to be higher than those in the control case. The results of this study indicate that elemental sulfur lowers the soil pH for a relatively long period and facilitates 137 Cs translocation to newly emerged and settled plants or litter, but affects plant growth in

  8. Macroalgae Extracts From Antarctica Have Antimicrobial and Anticancer Potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosiane M. Martins

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Macroalgae are sources of bioactive compounds due to the large number of secondary metabolites they synthesize. The Antarctica region is characterized by extreme weather conditions and abundant aggregations of macroalgae. However, current knowledge on their biodiversity and their potential for bio-prospecting is still fledging. This study evaluates the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of different extracts of four macroalgae (Cystosphaera jacquinotii, Iridaea cordata, Himantothallus grandifolius, and Pyropia endiviifolia from the Antarctic region against cancer and non-cancer cell lines.Methods: The antimicrobial activity of macroalgae was evaluated by the broth microdilution method. Extracts were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 19095, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 4083, Escherichia coli ATCC29214, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Candida albicans ATCC 62342, and the clinical isolates from the human oral cavity, namely, C. albicans (3, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. lipolytica, and C. famata. Cytotoxicity against human epidermoid carcinoma (A-431 and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3 cell lines was evaluated with MTT colorimetric assay.Results: An ethyl acetate extract of H. grandifolius showed noticeable antifungal activity against all fungal strains tested, including fluconazole-resistant samples. Cytotoxicity investigation with a cancer cell line revealed that the ethyl acetate extract of I. cordata was highly cytotoxic against A-431 cancer cell line, increasing the inhibitory ratio to 91.1 and 95.6% after 24 and 48 h exposure, respectively, for a concentration of 500 μg mL−1. Most of the algal extracts tested showed little or no cytotoxicity against fibroblasts.Conclusion: Data suggest that macroalgae extracts from Antarctica may represent a source of therapeutic agents.HIGHLIGHTSDifferent macroalgae samples from Antarctica were collected and the lyophilized biomass of each macroalgae was extracted

  9. Patterns of fossil distributions within their environmental context from the Middle Triassic in South Canyon, Central Nevada, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro M. Monarrez

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The Middle Triassic records the return of diverse marine communities after the severe effects of the end-Permian mass extinction. This diversification leads to the Mesozoic/modern adaptive radiation resulting in substantial changes in marine communities in comparison to their Paleozoic predecessors. This analysis focuses on the faunal abundance, ecological patterns, and environmental interpretation of a Middle Triassic section in Central Nevada. Twelve bulk samples were collected. Visible fossils were identified and tallied from hand samples and thin-sections were used to aid in environmental interpretation. Beginning in the Late Anisian, we observed an ammonoid dominated to flat-clam, epifaunal dominated benthic community within a muddy, quiet, inner shelf depositional environment. Through time, epifaunal bivalves dominate within a middle shelf environment followed by an increase in infaunalization and shell-thickness. During this time the presence of oncoids and the reported finding of corals suggest the middle shelf environment gave way to a higher energy patch reef shelf edge environment. Finally, we observe epifaunal brachiopods communities at the top of our section deposited in a middle shelf environment. In sum, we observe the dominance of modern taxa (i.e., bivalves with Paleozoic ecologies (i.e., epifaunal, followed by the dominance of modern taxa with Modern ecologies (i.e., infaunal, thick shells and then a return to Paleozoic taxa (i.e., brachiopods and Paleozoic ecologies within an overall transgressive environment.

  10. Stratigraphy and facies development of the marine Late Devonian near the Boulongour Reservoir, northwest Xinjiang, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suttner, Thomas J.; Kido, Erika; Chen, Xiuqin; Mawson, Ruth; Waters, Johnny A.; Frýda, Jiří; Mathieson, David; Molloy, Peter D.; Pickett, John; Webster, Gary D.; Frýdová, Barbora

    2014-02-01

    Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous stratigraphic units within the 'Zhulumute' Formation, Hongguleleng Formation (stratotype), 'Hebukehe' Formation and the Heishantou Formation near the Boulongour Reservoir in northwestern Xinjiang are fossil-rich. The Hongguleleng and 'Hebukehe' formations are biostratigraphically well constrained by microfossils from the latest Frasnian linguiformis to mid-Famennian trachytera conodont biozones. The Hongguleleng Formation (96.8 m) is characterized by bioclastic argillaceous limestones and marls (the dominant facies) intercalated with green spiculitic calcareous shales. It yields abundant and highly diverse faunas of bryozoans, brachiopods and crinoids with subordinate solitary rugose corals, ostracods, trilobites, conodonts and other fish teeth. The succeeding 'Hebukehe' Formation (95.7 m) consists of siltstones, mudstones, arenites and intervals of bioclastic limestone (e.g. 'Blastoid Hill') and cherts with radiolarians. A diverse ichnofauna, phacopid trilobites, echinoderms (crinoids and blastoids) together with brachiopods, ostracods, bryozoans and rare cephalopods have been collected from this interval. Analysis of geochemical data, microfacies and especially the distribution of marine organisms, which are not described in detail here, but used for facies analysis, indicate a deepening of the depositional environment at the Boulongour Reservoir section. Results presented here concern mainly the sedimentological and stratigraphical context of the investigated section. Additionally, one Late Devonian palaeo-oceanic and biotic event, the Upper Kellwasser Event is recognized near the section base.

  11. Embryonic chirality and the evolution of spiralian left–right asymmetries

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    The group Spiralia includes species with one of the most significant cases of left–right asymmetries in animals: the coiling of the shell of gastropod molluscs (snails). In this animal group, an early event of embryonic chirality controlled by cytoskeleton dynamics and the subsequent differential activation of the genes nodal and Pitx determine the left–right axis of snails, and thus the direction of coiling of the shell. Despite progressive advances in our understanding of left–right axis specification in molluscs, little is known about left–right development in other spiralian taxa. Here, we identify and characterize the expression of nodal and Pitx orthologues in three different spiralian animals—the brachiopod Novocrania anomala, the annelid Owenia fusiformis and the nemertean Lineus ruber—and demonstrate embryonic chirality in the biradial-cleaving spiralian embryo of the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea. We show asymmetric expression of nodal and Pitx in the brachiopod and annelid, respectively, and symmetric expression of Pitx in the nemertean. Our findings indicate that early embryonic chirality is widespread and independent of the cleavage programme in the Spiralia. Additionally, our study illuminates the evolution of nodal and Pitx signalling by demonstrating embryonic asymmetric expression in lineages without obvious adult left–right asymmetries. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Provocative questions in left–right asymmetry’. PMID:27821523

  12. Abiotic and biotic responses to Milankovitch-forced megamonsoon and glacial cycles recorded in South China at the end of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Qiang; Wu, Huaichun; Hinnov, Linda A.; Tian, Wenqian; Wang, Xunlian; Yang, Tianshui; Li, Haiyan; Zhang, Shihong

    2018-04-01

    At the end of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) from late Early Permian to early Late Permian, the global climate was impacted by a prevailing megamonsoon and Gondwanan deglaciation. To better understand the abiotic and biotic responses to Milankovitch-forced climate changes during this time period, multi-element X-ray fluorescence (XRF) geochemistry analyses were conducted on 948 samples from the late Early-late Middle Permian Maokou Formation at Shangsi, South China. The Fe/Ti, S/Ti, Ba/Ti and Ca time series, which were calibrated with an existing "floating" astronomical time scale (ATS), show the entire suite of Milankovitch rhythms including 405 kyr long eccentricity, 128 and 95 kyr short eccentricity, 33 kyr obliquity and 20 kyr precession. Spectral coherency and cross-phase analysis reveals that chemical weathering (monitored by Fe/Ti) and upwelling (captured by S/Ti and Ba/Ti) are nearly antiphase in the precession band, which suggests a contrast between summer and winter monsoon intensities. Strong obliquity signal in the Ba/Ti series is proposed to derive from changes in thermohaline circulation intensity from glaciation dynamics in southern Gondwana. The abundance of foraminifer, brachiopod and ostracod faunas within the Maokou Formation were mainly controlled by the 1.1 Myr obliquity modulation cycle. The obliquity-forced high-nutrient and oxygen-depleted conditions generally produced a benthic foraminifer bloom, but threatened the brachiopod and ostracod faunas.

  13. Hirnantia sagittifera (Brachiopoda and Mucronaspis mucronata s.l. (Trilobita in the Upper Ordovician of the East Baltic: taxonomy and distribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Hints

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The brachiopod Hirnantia sagittifera (M’Coy and trilobite morphs of the genus Mucronaspis from the topmost Ordovician Porkuni Stage of the central East Baltic are described and compared with those from the Hirnantian Stage of other regions. These important Hirnantian taxa occur in the Livonian Tongue of the Central Baltoscandian Facies Belt of the Baltic Basin, where the Porkuni Stage is represented by the non-graptolitic Kuldiga and Saldus formations. Hirnantia sagittifera appears in the lowermost part of the Porkuni Stage and is rather widely distributed in the basin in spite of its rare finds in each locality. Our study of trilobites of the genus Mucronaspis has enabled us to observe morphological changes in its exoskeleton in time and to identify a succession of five morphotypes (morphs. In some characteristics these morphs are similar to those of different alleged species of the genus Mucronaspis (M. olini, M. danai, M. ganabina, M. mucronata but they cannot be definitely assigned to any of these species due to some variances. However, here for the first time a stratigraphically ordered collection is presented, which deserves attention in revising the taxonomy of highly variable Mucronaspis. The described brachiopods and trilobites occur mainly in the strata correlated with the Normalograptus extraordinarius graptolite Biozone. However, the uppermost finds of both taxa come from strata correlated with the N. persculptus Biozone.

  14. Geochemistry of the brachiopod Hemithiris psittacea from the Canadian Arctic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ullmann, Clemens V.; Korte, Christoph; Bitner, M. Aleksandra

    2017-01-01

    Fossil shell material from high palaeo-latitudes is increasingly studied for environmental forcings specific to these latitudes and as sensitive archives of climate change. However, more detailed studies of modern analogues are necessary for putting findings into global and high latitude perspect...

  15. Comparative analysis of species-based specificity in Sr 90 and Cs 137 accumulation demonstrated by ligneous plant forest communities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinovich, B.S.; Vlasov, V.K.; Sak, M.M.; Golushko, R.M.; Afmogenov, A.M.; Kirykhin, O.V.

    2004-01-01

    The authors provided field-proven study of Sr 90 and Cs 137 absorption activity demonstrated by Pinus silvestris L.; Piceae abies (L.) Roth.; Quercus rubra L.; Acer platanoides L.; Betula pendula Roth.; Tilia cordata Mill, under identical habitat conditions. The above plants were examined after 5-year growth period on radionuclide-contaminated soil. To a great extent, such parameters as radionuclide accumulation in experimental plants and accumulation activity were determined by the plants' bio-ecological properties. (Authors)

  16. The impact of urban conditions on different tree species in public green areas in the city of Poznan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzyżaniak Michał

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Parks in urbanised areas fulfil an important function as they create a positive climate in cities and contribute to the good health of their inhabitants. The study gives an answer to the question of which of the species under investigation is the most suitable for planting in urbanised areas. The aim of the research conducted from 2013 to 2014 at selected sites in Poznan (Poland was to determine the state of health of Tilia cordata Mill., Acer platanoides L. and Quercus robur L. trees and to compare their state of health depending on the location of the research sites. The aim of the research was also to determine the environmental variables that may have an influence on the state of health of the tree species under analysis. The research included statistical analyses and models based on discriminant analysis. The research revealed that the state of health of the tree species under investigation growing in the city is determined by anthropogenic factors. The closeness of the city centre, main thoroughfares and estates heated with fossil fuels are the factors that have the most negative influence on the state of health of oak, maple and lime trees. Acer platanoides L. was the species in the best state of health in parks, whereas in forests it was Tilia cordata Mill.

  17. Description of two new Capnia species (Plecoptera: Capniidae) from the Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhi-Teng; DU, Yu-Zhou

    2017-06-07

    Two new species of the genus Capnia from the Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China, C. oblata sp. nov. and C. xiei sp. nov. are described and illustrated as new members of the C. cordata Kimmins species group. Capnia oblata sp. nov. is characterized by posteromedial process of tergum 9 connecting antecosta with the medial sclerite bar. Capnia xiei sp. nov. is characterized by main epiproct sclerite bifurcate apically and basally with a bilamellar structure. The new species are compared with similar taxa.

  18. Office of Naval Research Aggregate Dynamics in the Sea Workshop Held at Pacific Grove, California on September 22-24, 1986

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-09-01

    direct microscopic observation can define the nucleus of the particle, i.e., dinoflagellate cyst , diatom spore, fecal pellet. If the snow is degraded...rather than depth. Seal- ing off the top of the trap prior to recovery allows retention of the material which settled into the trap and which was...particles often appeared in the 90-150 m interval. Sheet-like feeding webs (25 cm 2-2.3 m2 of mucous , produced by the pteropods Gleba cordata and Cavolina

  19. Design and Evaluation of Processes to Obtain Antioxidant-Rich Extracts from tropical fruits cultivated in Amazon, Caldas and Northern Tolima Regions

    OpenAIRE

    Cerón Salazar, Ivonne Ximena

    2013-01-01

    En esta tesis se presenta un análisis del diseño del proceso para la obtención de extractos ricos en antioxidantes a partir de cinco frutas tropicales (Cordata matisia, Physalis peruviana, Solanum betaceum, Theobroma grandiflorum, Renealmia alpinia). Se utilizaron procedimientos de simulación basado en la caracterización experimental para evaluar el rendimiento de las diferentes tecnologías para las etapas de pretratamiento, extracción y concentración utilizando el software Aspen Plus. Se...

  20. Microfossils in the Ordovician erratic boulders from South-western Finland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nõlvak, J.

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available Chitinozoans, ostracods and acritarchs found in four glacially transported limestone boulders from the south-western coast of Finland have been studied in order to test the usefulness of these microfossil groups in age determinations. Also rare specimens of conodonts, inarticulated brachiopods and foraminifers were found. Baltic limestone (or Östersjö limestone was the most problematic, because only fossils with calcitic or phosphatic shells are preserved. It is concluded that the boulders identified correlate with the Uhaku and Rakvere stages of the Middle Ordovician.

  1. Conodont succession and reassessment of major events around the Permian-Triassic boundary at the Selong Xishan section, southern Tibet, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Dong-Xun; Zhang, Yi-Chun; Shen, Shu-Zhong

    2018-02-01

    A major discrepancy for the age of the Selong Group from middle Cisuralian (Early Permian) to Changhsingian resulted from previous reports of Sakmarian, Kungurian and Guadalupian (Middle Permian) conodonts and Lopingian (Late Permian) brachiopods. Recently, Cisuralian and Guadalupian conodonts were reported again from the Selong Group and the basal part of the Kangshare Formation at the Selong section, but the age discrepancy remains. We present our conodont materials based on large samples collected from the Selong Group and our interpretation based on identifications using a sample population approach. Three conodont zones are recognized in our re-investigation of the upper part of the Selong Group. They include the Vjalovognathus sp., the Mesogondolella hendersoni, and the M. sheni zones, in ascending order. These zones are overlain by the basal Triassic Hindeodus parvus Zone and the Otoceras woodwardi Zone. Our reassessment of conodonts reported by previous studies from Selong and nearby sections suggest that all specimens consistently point to a Lopingian age; the upper part of the Selong Group is latest Changhsingian in age based on the presence of Clarkina orchardi and Mesogondolella sheni. Previously reported early Cisuralian and Guadalupian conodonts are misidentified using a form species concept. A hiatus may be present at the erosional surface between the Selong Group and the Waagenites Bed of the basal part of the Kangshare Formation. However, the hiatus is minimal because conodont and brachiopod assemblages above and below this surface are very similar, and it results from a latest Changhsingian transgression just before the extinction that follows a global latest Changhsingian regression. There is a distinct rapid end-Permian mass extinction at Selong within the Waagenites Bed, as indicated by the disappearances of all benthic brachiopods, rugose corals and Permian bryozoans. The burst of Clarkina species in the Waagenites Bed and throughout the

  2. Microbialites in the shallow-water marine environments of the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland) in the aftermath of the Frasnian-Famennian biotic crisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakociński, Michał; Racki, Grzegorz

    2016-01-01

    Microbial carbonates, consisting of abundant girvanellid oncoids, are described from cephalopod-crinoid and crinoid-brachiopod coquinas (rudstones) occurring in the lowermost Famennian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. A Girvanella-bearing horizon (consist with numerous girvanellid oncoids) has been recognised at the Psie Górki section, and represents the northern slope succession of the drowned Dyminy Reef. This occurrence of microbialites in the aftermath of the Frasnian-Famennian event is interpreted as the result of opportunistic cyanobacteria blooms, which, as 'disaster forms', colonised empty shallow-water ecological niches during the survival phase following the Frasnian metazoan reef collapse, due to collapsed activity of epifaunal, grazing, and/or burrowing animals. The anachronistic lithofacies at Psie Górki is linked with catastrophic mass mortality of the cephalopod and crinoid-brachiopod communities during the heavy storm events. This mass occurrence of girvanellid oncoids, along with Frutexites-like microbial shrubs and, at least partly, common micritisation of some skeletal grains, records an overall increase in microbial activity in eutrophic normal marine environments. Microbial communities in the Holy Cross Mountains are not very diverse, being mainly represented by girvanellid oncoids, and stand in contrast to the very rich microbial communities known from the Guilin area (China), Canning Basin (Australia) and the Timan-northern Ural area (Russia). The association from Poland is similar to more diverse microbial communities represented by oncoids, trombolites and stromatolites, well known from the Canadian Alberta basin.

  3. Jurassic animals and algae in the flooring of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Poznań

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antczak Mateusz

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The flooring of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Poznań is made of Jurassic rocks from the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (also known as Holy Cross Mountains and contain abundant marine invertebrate fossils: sponges, bivalves, brachiopods, various families of cephalopods, etc. Some of them can be identified to the genus level. The fossils make it possible to describe the environment and ecosystem of the Jurassic sea and biostratigraphy of the sediment. There are also some significant inorganic structures, which suggest post-diagenetic tectonic movements.

  4. Precisely locating the Ordovician equator in Laurentia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jin, Jisuo; Harper, David A. T.; Cocks, L. Robin M.

    2013-01-01

    The Late Ordovician equatorial zone, like the zone today, had few hurricane-grade storms within 100 of the equator, as emphasized by the preservation of massive-bedded Thalassinoides ichnofacies in a trans-Laurentian belt more than 6000 km long, from the southwestern United States to North...... Greenland. That belt also includes nonamalgamated shell beds dominated by the brachiopod Proconchidium, which would not have been preserved after hurricane-grade storms. The belt lacks such storm-related sedimentary features as rip-up clasts, hummocky cross-stratification, or large channels. In contrast...

  5. Palaeoenvironmental changes in the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) of the Northern Calcareous Alps

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mette, Wolfgang; Elsler, Armin; Korte, Christoph

    2012-01-01

    in the Kössen Formation and determine their significance for environmental and climatic conditions in the Rhaetian sea of the Eiberg Basin (Northern Calcareous Alps). For this purpose 60 δ 18O measurements on 43 articulate brachiopods samples from 8 different horizons were carried out. The results indicate...... to the lowest unit 3 of the Eiberg Member that parallels oxygen isotopes. This positive δ 13C trend is interrupted by a sudden ~1.5‰ negative excursion in the late Rhaetian (Late Rhaetian Event), a time span when the oxygen isotopes remain heavy....

  6. Early to Middle Jurassic palaeoenvironmental changes: High resolution δ13C and δ18O records from the UK

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korte, Christoph; Hesselbo, Stephen; Ullmann, Clemens Vinzenz

    Low-Mg-calcite fossils, such as bivalves, belemnites and brachiopods, and bulk rocks have been extensively utilized to reconstruct past seawater chemistry and paleoenviron¬mental changes. Recent work on major bioevents demonstrated that particularly higher resolution stable isotope records...... are necessary to reveal short-term paleoenviron¬mental fluctuations and, in addition, to discover its causes. Here we present a new high resolution carbon and oxygen isotope dataset generated from low-Mg-calcite fossils, fossil wood and bulk rocks collected from Early to Middle Jurassic marine successions...

  7. Late Ordovician (post-Sardic) rifting branches in the North Gondwanan Montagne Noire and Mouthoumet massifs of southern France

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Javier Álvaro, J.; Colmenar Lallena, Jorge; Monceret, Eric

    2016-01-01

    , and the subsequent Middle-Ordovician stratigraphic gap is related to the Sardic phase. Upper Ordovician sedimentation started in the rifting branches of Cabrières and Mouthoumet with deposition of basaltic lava flows and lahar deposits (Roque de Bandies and Villerouge formations) of continental tholeiite signature...... (CT), indicative of continental fracturing.The infill of both rifting branches followed with the onset of (1) Katian (Ka1-Ka2) conglomerates and sandstones (Glauzy and Gascagne formations), which have yielded a new brachiopod assemblage representative of the Svobodaina havliceki Community; (2) Katian...

  8. Inventory of Green Spaces and Woody Plants in the Urban Landscape in Ariogala

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Straigytė

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Regulation of urban greenery design, management and protection was approved in 2008 in Lithuania after the Green Space Law was passed, allowing protection of public green spaces and woody plants. Protection of these resources first requires an inventory, and we have created a digital database that will help in management of urban green spaces. Material and Methods: An inventory of green spaces and woody plants was conducted in the public urban territory of Ariogala, using GIS technology. A digital cartographic database was created using ArcGis 9.1 software. Results and Conclusion: Most of the woody plants in the survey area are deciduous trees, and the survey results highlighted the major green space management problems. Often, planted trees grow under power lines, and their crowns touch the power cables. Near blocks of flats, trees are often in the wrong place-planted too close to buildings, trees shade windows and their roots heave pavers and penetrate building foundations. According to the inventory, street trees sustain the most damage, most commonly showing injuries on their trunks and roots. Leaves of Aesculus hipocastanum L. show massive damage from Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, and Tilia cordata Mill. are damaged by Cercospora microsora Sacc. T. cordata is a favourite city tree, but is susceptible to infestation and when damaged appears unsightly, ending its vegetation period very early. The inventory of green spaces also showed that there are sufficient public parks.

  9. UPLC-MS/MS Profile of Alkaloids with Cytotoxic Properties of Selected Medicinal Plants of the Berberidaceae and Papaveraceae Families

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Och

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer is one of the most occurring diseases in developed and developing countries. Plant-based compounds are still researched for their anticancer activity and for their quantity in plants. Therefore, the modern chromatographic methods are applied to quantify them in plants, for example, UPLC-MS/MS (ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the content of sanguinarine, berberine, protopine, and chelidonine in Dicentra spectabilis (L. Lem., Fumaria officinalis L., Glaucium flavum Crantz, Corydalis cava L., Berberis thunbergii DC., Meconopsis cambrica (L. Vig., Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh Nutt., Macleaya cordata Willd., and Chelidonium majus L. For the first time, N,N-dimethyl-hernovine was identified in M. cambrica, B. thunbergii, M. aquifolium, C. cava, G. flavum, and C. majus; methyl-hernovine was identified in G. flavum; columbamine was identified in B. thunbergii; and methyl-corypalmine, chelidonine, and sanguinarine were identified in F. officinalis L. The richest source of protopine among all the examined species was M. cordata (5463.64 ± 26.3 μg/g. The highest amounts of chelidonine and sanguinarine were found in C. majus (51,040.0 ± 1.8 μg/g and 7925.8 ± 3.3 μg/g, resp., while B. thunbergi contained the highest amount of berberine (6358.4 ± 4.2 μg/g.

  10. UPLC-MS/MS Profile of Alkaloids with Cytotoxic Properties of Selected Medicinal Plants of the Berberidaceae and Papaveraceae Families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Och, Anna; Szewczyk, Katarzyna; Pecio, Łukasz; Stochmal, Anna; Załuski, Daniel; Bogucka-Kocka, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Cancer is one of the most occurring diseases in developed and developing countries. Plant-based compounds are still researched for their anticancer activity and for their quantity in plants. Therefore, the modern chromatographic methods are applied to quantify them in plants, for example, UPLC-MS/MS (ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the content of sanguinarine, berberine, protopine, and chelidonine in Dicentra spectabilis (L.) Lem., Fumaria officinalis L., Glaucium flavum Crantz, Corydalis cava L., Berberis thunbergii DC., Meconopsis cambrica (L.) Vig., Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt., Macleaya cordata Willd., and Chelidonium majus L. For the first time, N,N-dimethyl-hernovine was identified in M. cambrica , B. thunbergii , M. aquifolium , C. cava , G. flavum , and C. majus ; methyl-hernovine was identified in G. flavum ; columbamine was identified in B. thunbergii ; and methyl-corypalmine, chelidonine, and sanguinarine were identified in F. officinalis L. The richest source of protopine among all the examined species was M. cordata (5463.64 ± 26.3  μ g/g). The highest amounts of chelidonine and sanguinarine were found in C. majus (51,040.0 ± 1.8  μ g/g and 7925.8 ± 3.3  μ g/g, resp.), while B. thunbergi contained the highest amount of berberine (6358.4 ± 4.2  μ g/g).

  11. Lower Devonian Brachiopods and Stratigraphy of North Palencia (Cantabrian Mountains, Spain)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Binnekamp, J.G.

    1965-01-01

    A continuous sequence of Devonian sediments is exposed in the northern part of the province of Palencia (NW-Spain), on the southern slope of the Cantabrian Mountains. This study concerns the stratigraphy and paleontology of the Lower Devonian formations. At the base of the sequence a clastic

  12. Prolonged Permian Triassic ecological crisis recorded by molluscan dominance in Late Permian offshore assemblages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clapham, Matthew E; Bottjer, David J

    2007-08-07

    The end-Permian mass extinction was the largest biotic crisis in the history of animal life, eliminating as many as 95% of all species and dramatically altering the ecological structure of marine communities. Although the causes of this pronounced ecosystem shift have been widely debated, the broad consensus based on inferences from global taxonomic diversity patterns suggests that the shift from abundant brachiopods to dominant molluscs was abrupt and largely driven by the catastrophic effects of the end-Permian mass extinction. Here we analyze relative abundance counts of >33,000 fossil individuals from 24 silicified Middle and Late Permian paleocommunities, documenting a substantial ecological shift to numerical dominance by molluscs in the Late Permian, before the major taxonomic shift at the end-Permian mass extinction. This ecological change was coincident with the development of fluctuating anoxic conditions in deep marine basins, suggesting that numerical dominance by more tolerant molluscs may have been driven by variably stressful environmental conditions. Recognition of substantial ecological deterioration in the Late Permian also implies that the end-Permian extinction was the climax of a protracted environmental crisis. Although the Late Permian shift to molluscan dominance was a pronounced ecological change, quantitative counts of 847 Carboniferous-Cretaceous collections from the Paleobiology Database indicate that it was only the first stage in a stepwise transition that culminated with the final shift to molluscan dominance in the Late Jurassic. Therefore, the ecological transition from brachiopods to bivalves was more protracted and complex than their simple Permian-Triassic switch in diversity.

  13. Prolonged Permian–Triassic ecological crisis recorded by molluscan dominance in Late Permian offshore assemblages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clapham, Matthew E.; Bottjer, David J.

    2007-01-01

    The end-Permian mass extinction was the largest biotic crisis in the history of animal life, eliminating as many as 95% of all species and dramatically altering the ecological structure of marine communities. Although the causes of this pronounced ecosystem shift have been widely debated, the broad consensus based on inferences from global taxonomic diversity patterns suggests that the shift from abundant brachiopods to dominant molluscs was abrupt and largely driven by the catastrophic effects of the end-Permian mass extinction. Here we analyze relative abundance counts of >33,000 fossil individuals from 24 silicified Middle and Late Permian paleocommunities, documenting a substantial ecological shift to numerical dominance by molluscs in the Late Permian, before the major taxonomic shift at the end-Permian mass extinction. This ecological change was coincident with the development of fluctuating anoxic conditions in deep marine basins, suggesting that numerical dominance by more tolerant molluscs may have been driven by variably stressful environmental conditions. Recognition of substantial ecological deterioration in the Late Permian also implies that the end-Permian extinction was the climax of a protracted environmental crisis. Although the Late Permian shift to molluscan dominance was a pronounced ecological change, quantitative counts of 847 Carboniferous–Cretaceous collections from the Paleobiology Database indicate that it was only the first stage in a stepwise transition that culminated with the final shift to molluscan dominance in the Late Jurassic. Therefore, the ecological transition from brachiopods to bivalves was more protracted and complex than their simple Permian–Triassic switch in diversity. PMID:17664426

  14. Phylogeny and mitochondrial gene order variation in Lophotrochozoa in the light of new mitogenomic data from Nemertea

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    von Döhren Jörn

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The new animal phylogeny established several taxa which were not identified by morphological analyses, most prominently the Ecdysozoa (arthropods, roundworms, priapulids and others and Lophotrochozoa (molluscs, annelids, brachiopods and others. Lophotrochozoan interrelationships are under discussion, e.g. regarding the position of Nemertea (ribbon worms, which were discussed to be sister group to e.g. Mollusca, Brachiozoa or Platyhelminthes. Mitochondrial genomes contributed well with sequence data and gene order characters to the deep metazoan phylogeny debate. Results In this study we present the first complete mitochondrial genome record for a member of the Nemertea, Lineus viridis. Except two trnP and trnT, all genes are located on the same strand. While gene order is most similar to that of the brachiopod Terebratulina retusa, sequence based analyses of mitochondrial genes place nemerteans close to molluscs, phoronids and entoprocts without clear preference for one of these taxa as sister group. Conclusion Almost all recent analyses with large datasets show good support for a taxon comprising Annelida, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Phoronida and Nemertea. But the relationships among these taxa vary between different studies. The analysis of gene order differences gives evidence for a multiple independent occurrence of a large inversion in the mitochondrial genome of Lophotrochozoa and a re-inversion of the same part in gastropods. We hypothesize that some regions of the genome have a higher chance for intramolecular recombination than others and gene order data have to be analysed carefully to detect convergent rearrangement events.

  15. Hirnantian (latest Ordovician bio- and chemostratigraphy of the Stirnas-18 core, western Latvia

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    Hints, Linda

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Integrated study of the uppermost Ordovician Porkuni Stage in the Stirnas-18 core, western Latvia, has revealed one of the most complete Hirnantian successions in the eastern Baltic region. The interval is characterized by two shallowing upwards depositional sequences that correspond to the Kuldiga and Saldus formations. The whole-rock carbon stable isotope curve indicates a long rising segment of the Hirnantian carbon isotope excursion, with the highest peak in the upper part of the Kuldiga Formation. The bioclast carbon and oxygen curves fit well with the whole-rock carbon data. Micro- and macrofossil data enabled seven combined associations to be distinguished within the Hirnantian strata. The early Porkuni fauna of the Spinachitina taugourdeaui Biozone, with pre-Hirnantian affinities, is succeeded by an interval with a Hindella–Cliftonia brachiopod association, a specific polychaete fauna, the chitinozoan Conochitina scabra, and the conodont Noixodontus girardeauensis. The middle part of the Kuldiga Formation is characterized by a low-diversity Dalmanella testudinaria brachiopod association, high diversity of scolecodonts, and the occurrence of the chitinozoan Lagenochitina prussica. From the middle part of the Kuldiga Formation the youngest occurrence yet known of the conodont Amorphognathus ordovicicus is reported. Also typical of the Kuldiga Formation is the occurrence of the trilobite Mucronaspis mucronata. The uppermost Hirnantian Saldus Formation contains no shelly fauna, but yields redeposited conodonts and at least partly indigenous chitinozoans and scolecodonts. Palaeontological criteria and stable isotope data enable correlation of the Stirnas section with other Hirnantian successions in the Baltic region and elsewhere.

  16. A lower Devonian point in the geological timescale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richards, J.R.; Barkas, J.P.; Vallance, T.G.

    1977-01-01

    The Gocup Granite, in southeastern New South Ales, intrudes low-grade metasediments tentatively assigned to the Ludlovian on fragmentary conodont evidence, and is overlain by a unit rich in volcanic material but containing a good brachiopod fauna of lower to middle Siegenian age. The K-Ar age of four muscovite samples is 409 +- 3 m.y.; a Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron on five samples yields a Model age 402 +- 3 m.y., initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr 0.7090 +- 0.003. Preliminary data by X-ray fluorescence and unspiked strontium mass spectrometry illustrate the effects of some sources of experimental error. (auth.)

  17. Tabasosphaera pustulosa nov. gen., nov. sp., a microproblematicum (foraminifer? from the Upper Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian reef limestone of Nayban Formation (NE Iran

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    Baba Senowbari-Daryan

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available A microproblematicum with calcaerous test, Tabasosphaera pustulosa nov. gen., nov. sp., a hollow spherical microfossil with pustule-like elements on the outer surface, is described from Upper Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian reef limestones exposed near the town of Ali-Abad, south of Tabas (northeast Iran. Tabasosphaera is an endobiotic organism living within the cavities of other organisms, such as brachiopods, worm tubes, or in sponge spongocoels. The systematic position of Tabasosphaera, its interspecific association and the fossil assemblage of which it makes part is discussed. Most probably Tabasosphaera represents a foraminifer belonging to the group Lagenina.

  18. Biogenic hardparts: Difficult archives of the geological past (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Immenhauser, A.; Schone, B. R.; Hoffmann, R.; Niedermayr, A.

    2013-12-01

    Biomineralized exo- or endoskeletons of fossil marine invertebrates are widespread and diverse components of the Phanerozoic rock record of Earth's past and present oceans. Exoskeletons serve as protection against environmental pressure or predators, whilst endoskeletons can act as support or serve as an attachment for muscles and ligaments and hence as a mechanism for transmitting muscular forces. Biogenic hard parts represent sophisticated products resulting from the hierarchical interaction of inorganic minerals (95%) and macromolecular organic matrices, forming commonly less than 5%. The significance of many biogenic carbonate archives lies in the time-resolved growth patterns and their ability to record ambient environmental conditions in the form of multiple geochemical properties (multi-proxy archives) that have been widely used to assess past oceanic seawater properties. Here, we compile and review published work dealing with crystallization pathways of skeletal hard parts secreted by mollusks (i.e., bivalves and cephalopods) as well as brachiopods as widely used archives of ancient neritic epeiric settings. Bivalves and cephalopods (e.g., extinct ammonoids and belemnites and extant Sepia, Nautilus and Spirula) all form accretionary calcitic, aragonitic or vateritic skeletal hard parts. Despite the fact that mollusks and brachiopods form part of very different branches of the animal phylogenetic tree, their biomineralization strategies are surprisingly similar. Our main focus lies in a critical assessment of the complex pathways of ions and aquo-complexes from their source (seawater) to the final product (biomineral). We do this as an attempt to critically test the commonly held hypothesis that many fossil hard parts precipitated (under favorable conditions and pending subsequent diagenetic alteration) in equilibrium with seawater. Two main observations stand out: (1) the present knowledge on pathways and mechanisms (e.g., ion channel trans-membrane or

  19. Limits in the evolution of biological form: a theoretical morphologic perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGhee, George R

    2015-12-06

    Limits in the evolution of biological form can be empirically demonstrated by using theoretical morphospace analyses, and actual analytic examples are given for univalved ammonoid shell form, bivalved brachiopod shell form and helical bryozoan colony form. Limits in the evolution of form in these animal groups can be shown to be due to functional and developmental constraints on possible evolutionary trajectories in morphospace. Future evolutionary-limit research is needed to analyse the possible existence of temporal constraint in the evolution of biological form on Earth, and in the search for the possible existence of functional alien life forms on Titan and Triton that are developmentally impossible for Earth life.

  20. Uranium laterite from Ipora/Amorinopolis region- Goias, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandes, S.M.

    1983-01-01

    The present study gives an account of the uranium bearing laterite in the district of Amorinopolis, GO. Emphasis is given in the study of its mineralogy and of the mineralization controls. The uranium mineralization is chiefly found within the arkosic sandstones at the base of the Devonian Ponta Grossa Formation. The ore is tabular and concordant with the bedding, the controls being simultaneously litho-stratigraphic and biochemical. Narrow permeable horizons of arkosic sandstone lie between impermeable shale an siltstone layers. Within the permeable horizon fossil remains (probably brachiopods) are replaced by uranium minerals. The oxidized iron minerals may have acted to insulate and preserve the secondary soluble uranium minerals. (author)

  1. Phytoextraction of potentially toxic elements by six tree species growing on hazardous mining sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mleczek, Mirosław; Goliński, Piotr; Krzesłowska, Magdalena; Gąsecka, Monika; Magdziak, Zuzanna; Rutkowski, Paweł; Budzyńska, Sylwia; Waliszewska, Bogusława; Kozubik, Tomisław; Karolewski, Zbigniew; Niedzielski, Przemysław

    2017-10-01

    The aim of the study was to compare the phytoextraction abilities of six tree species (Acer platanoides L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Betula pendula Roth, Quercus robur L., Tilia cordata Miller, Ulmus laevis Pall.), cultivated on mining sludge contaminated with arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), thallium (Tl), and zinc (Zn). All six tree species were able to survive on such an unpromising substrate. However, A. platanoides and T. cordata seedlings grown on the polluted substrate showed significantly lower biomass than control plants (55.5 and 45.6%, respectively). As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Tl predominantly accumulated in the roots of all the analyzed tree species with the following highest contents: 1616, 268, 2432, 547, and 856 mg kg -1 , respectively. Zn was predominantly localized in shoots with the highest content of 5801 and 5732 mg kg -1 for U. laevis and A. platanoides, respectively. A. platanoides was the most effective in Zn phytoextaction, with a bioconcentration factor (BCF) of 8.99 and a translocation factor (TF) of 1.5. Furthermore, with the exception of A. pseudoplatanus, the analyzed tree species showed a BCF > 1 for Tl, with the highest value for A. platanoides (1.41). However, the TF for this metal was lower than 1 in all the analyzed tree species. A. platanoides showed the highest BCF and a low TF and could, therefore, be a promising species for Tl phytostabilization. In the case of the other analyzed tree species, their potential for effective phytoextraction was markedly lower. Further studies on the use of A. platanoides in phytoremediation would be worth conducting.

  2. Terpenoids in Buddleja: relevance to chemosystematics, chemical ecology and biological activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houghton, Peter J; Mensah, Abraham Y; Iessa, Noha; Hong, Liao Yong

    2003-09-01

    The terpenoids reported from Buddleja species are described. The antifungal activity of chloroform extracts of B. cordata and B. davidii stembark against the soil fungi Fusarium culmorum and Sordari fimicola is reported, with buddledin A shown to be the major compound responsible. The terpenoids present support the view that the Buddlejaceae should be classified in a taxon with Scrophulariaceae rather than Loganiaceae. Ecological aspects of the terpenoids are considered in relation to insects and soil fungi and the role of terpenoids in the chemical basis of the use of Buddleja in traditional medicine is also discussed, especially with regard to their anti-inflammatory properties.

  3. Macromycetes of oak-lime-hornbeam woods in the Niepołomice Forest near Kraków (S Poland - monitoring studies

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    Władysława Wojewoda

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available In the years 1994-1996 studies on macromycetes of the Niepołomice Forest near Kraków were made in four plots designated in deciduous forests (Tilio-Carpinetum stachyetosum with a population of Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur and Tilia cordata (the size of each plot was 1000 m2. The observations were made through an international project "Mycological monitoring in European oak forests". As many as 274 species were recorded, including 234 saprobic, 33 mycorrhizal, and 7 parasitic fungi. Moreover, 15 species of fungi are connected with oak, 24 species of fungi are threatened, and 16 species are new to Poland.

  4. Non-volatile floral oils of Diascia spp. (Scrophulariaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumri, Kanchana; Seipold, Lars; Schmidt, Jürgen; Gerlach, Günter; Dötterl, Stefan; Ellis, Allan G; Wessjohann, Ludger A

    2008-04-01

    The floral oils of Diascia purpurea, Diascia vigilis, Diascia cordata, Diascia megathura, Diascia integerrima and Diascia barberae (Scrophulariaceae) were selectively collected from trichome elaiophores. The derivatized floral oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whilst the underivatized samples were analysed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The most common constituents of the floral oils investigated are partially acetylated acylglycerols of (3R)-acetoxy fatty acids (C(14), C(16), and C(18)), as was proven with non-racemic synthetic reference samples. The importance of these oils for Rediviva bees is discussed in a co-evolutionary context.

  5. Gamma Irradiation does not Cause Carcinogenesis of Irradiated Herbs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thongphasuk, Jarunee; Thongphasuk, Piyanuch; Eamsiri, Jarurut; Pongpat, Suchada

    2009-07-01

    Full text: Microbial contamination of medicinal herbs can be effectively reduced by gamma irradiation. Since irradiation may cause carcinogenicity of the irradiated herbs, the objective of this research is to study the effect of gamma irradiation (10 and 25 kGy) from cobalt-60 on carcinogenicity. The herbs studied were Pueraria candollei Grah., Curcuma longa Linn. Zingiber montanum, Senna alexandrina P. Miller, Eurycoma Longifolia Jack, Gymnostema pentaphylum Makino, Ginkgo biloba, Houttuynia cordata T., Andrographis paniculata, Thunbergia laurifolia L., Garcinia atroviridis G., and Cinnamomum verum J.S.Presl. The results showed that gamma irradiation at the dose of 10 and 25 kGy did not cause carcinogenicity of the irradiated herbs

  6. Nineteenth-century collapse of a benthic marine ecosystem on the open continental shelf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomašových, Adam; Kidwell, Susan M

    2017-06-14

    The soft-sediment seafloor of the open continental shelf is among the least-known biomes on Earth, despite its high diversity and importance to fisheries and biogeochemical cycling. Abundant dead shells of epifaunal suspension-feeding terebratulid brachiopods ( Laqueus ) and scallops on the now-muddy mainland continental shelf of southern California reveal the recent, previously unsuspected extirpation of an extensive offshore shell-gravel ecosystem, evidently driven by anthropogenic siltation. Living populations of attached epifauna, which formerly existed in a middle- and outer-shelf mosaic with patches of trophically diverse muds, are restricted today to rocky seafloor along the shelf edge and to the sandier shelves of offshore islands. Geological age-dating of 190 dead brachiopod shells shows that (i) no shells have been produced on the mainland shelf within the last 100 years, (ii) their shell production declined steeply during the nineteenth century, and (iii) they had formerly been present continuously for at least 4 kyr. This loss, sufficiently rapid (less than or equal to 100 years) and thorough to represent an ecosystem collapse, coincides with intensification of alluvial-plain land use in the nineteenth century, particularly livestock grazing. Extirpation was complete by the start of twentieth-century urbanization, warming, bottom fishing and scientific surveys. The loss of this filter-feeding fauna and the new spatial homogeneity and dominance of deposit- and detritus-feeders would have altered ecosystem functioning by reducing habitat heterogeneity and seawater filtering. This discovery, attesting to the power of this geological approach to recent ecological transitions, also strongly increases the spatial scope attributable to the negative effects of siltation, and suggests that it has been under-recognized on continental shelves elsewhere as a legacy of coastal land use. © 2017 The Author(s).

  7. Aspectos gerais sobre a alimentação do cangulo, Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758 (Pisces - Balistidae no estado de Pernambuco - Brasil

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    Técio Luiz Macêdo Costa

    1987-01-01

    Full Text Available The Balistidae, especially Balistes vetula are commom fishes in tropical waters from Northeastern Brazil. Studies about these fishes captured at the coastal area of Recife between Pina; Boa Viagem, Piedade and Candeias beaches were carried out in order to determine the diet, and to verify a possible diet diversification between the sexes, and times of the year. Males and females had a food diet consisting mostly of molluscs belonging the classes Scaphopoda, Bivalvia, Gastropoda and crustaceans and fishes. Echinoderms, foraminifera, bryozoa, sponges, polychaete worms, coelenterates and brachiopods were also observed in smaller proportions. Both males and females had a carnivorous benthic diet. Growth and changes in the seasons were not reflected by changes in the diet.

  8. Sedimentary uranium deposit of the Ipora/Amorinopolis region, state of Goias, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandes, S.M.; Leonardos, O.H.

    1984-01-01

    The uranium mineralization is chiefly found within arkosic sandstones at the base of the Devonian Ponta Grossa Formation. The ore is tabular and concordant with the bedding, the controls being simultaneously litho-stratigraphical and biochemical. Narrow permeable horizons of arkosic sandstone lie between impermeable shale and siltstone layers. Within the permeable horizon, the fossil remains (probably brachiopods) are replaced by uranium minerals. The oxidized iron minerals may have acted as to insulate and preserve the secondary soluble uranium minerals. The mineral paragenesis is represented by renardite, meta - autunite I, fourmarierite, Koninckite, ranquilite, meta-uranocircite II, barite, apatite, calophane, wavelite, varscite, an unnamed uranium mineral, quartz, calcedony, goethite, lepidocrocite and hematite. (Author) [pt

  9. Macro and Micro-Nutrient Contents of 18 Medicinal Plants used Traditionally to Alleviate Diabetes in Nuevo Leon, Northeast of Mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maiti, R.; Rodriguez, H. G.; Kumari, C. A.; Sarkar, N. C.

    2016-01-01

    Although several medicinal plants has been documented to alleviate diabetes in Nuevo Leon, Northeast of Mexico, no systematic study has been undertaken to determine the efficacy of these plant species. The present study was undertaken to determine micronutrients (Cu, Fe and Zn) and macro-nutrients (K, Mg and P), C, N and C/N and to select plants with high macro and micronutrient contents for high efficacy in 18 medicinal plants collected from botanical gardens of Forest Science Faculty, UANL, Mexico used in Nuevo Leon in Northeast of Mexico, at the experimental station of Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. Following standard protocols, carbon and nitrogen were determined using a CHN analyzer (Perkin Elmer, model 2400). Mineral contents were using the wet digestion technique (Cherney, 2000). The present study indicated the presence of large variation in the contents of several macro and micronutrients among these 18 species of medicinal plants utilized traditionally to control diabetes and other diseases in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Among these species containing high nitrogen content (%) are Moringa oleifera (6.25), Melia azadirachta (5.85), Marrubium vulgare (4.56) and Phoradendron villosum (4.9). The C/N values ranged from 8 to 30. The species having high C/N were Agave macroculmis (30), Arbutus xalapensis (26) and Rhus virens (22). The species Melia azadirachta, Marrubium vulgare, Buddleja cordata, Tecoma stans, Hedeoma palmeri, Phoradendron villosum, Opuntia ficus-indica, Arbutus xalapensis exhibited large variations in the contents of macro and micronutrients which, could be considered to be used effectively for the control of diabetes. Few species viz. Marrubium vulgare, Buddleja cordata, Tecoma stans, Hedeoma palmeri, Phoradendron villosum, Opuntia ficus-indica and Arbutus xalapensis on the basis of high nutrient content with respect to C, N, C/N, Cu, Fe, Zn, K, P and Mg are selected and recommended to control diabetes. (author)

  10. Dinâmica de populações de Euglossina (Hymenoptera, Apidae em mata ciliar, Urbano Santos, Maranhão, Brasil Population dynamics of Euglossina (Hymenoptera, Apidae in riparian forest, Urbano Santos, Maranhão, Brazil

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    Cristiane C. de Carvalho

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Machos de Euglossina foram coletados por meio de iscas-odores de benzoato de benzila, eucaliptol, eugenol, salicilato de metila, vanilina, durante um ano em área de mata ciliar, no município de Urbano Santos, Maranhão. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente, entre 8 h e 16 h, totalizando 96 horas de amostragem. Foram amostrados 283 indivíduos, 4 gêneros e 16 espécies. Euglossa Latreille, 1802 foi o gênero mais abundante, seguido por Eufriesea Cockerell, 1909, Eulaema Lepeletier, 1841 e Exaerete Hoffmannsegg, 1817. As espécies mais freqüentes foram Euglossa modestior (Dressler, 1982, Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758, Eulaema cingulata (Fabricius, 1804, Exaerete smaragdina (Guérin-Menéville, 1845, Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 e Euglossa gaianii Dressler, 1982. Eucaliptol foi a essência mais atrativa. As maiores freqüências de visitas ocorreram no período da manhã e a maior diversidade de espécies ocorreu no período chuvoso.Males of Euglossina bees were collected in benzil benzoate, eucaliptol, eugenol, methyl salicylate and vanillin scent baits, during one year in a riparian forest area, located in the municipality of Urbano Santos, Maranhão. The collections were carried out monthly, between 8 am and 4 pm, totalling 96 hours of sampling, resulting in 283 individuals, 4 genera and 16 species. Euglossa Latreille, 1802 was the most abundant genus, followed by Eufriesea Cockerell, 1909, Eulaema Lepeletier, 1841 and Exaerete Hoffmannsegg, 1817. The most frequent species were Euglossa modestior (Dressler, 1982, Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758, Eulaema cingulata (Fabricius, 1804, Exaerete smaragdina (Guérin-Menéville, 1845, Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 and Euglossa gaianii (Dressler, 1982. Eucaliptol was the most attractive chemical bait. The highest frequencies of visits were in the morning and the highest diversity of species occurred in the rainy period.

  11. Abelhas Euglossina (Hymenoptera, Apidae coletadas em uma monocultura de eucalipto circundada por Cerrado em Urbano Santos, Maranhão, Brasil Euglossina bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae collected in an eucalyptus monoculture surounded by Cerrado, Urbano Santos, MA, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda N. Mendes

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Machos de Euglossina foram coletados por meio de iscas-odores de benzoato de benzila, eucaliptol, eugenol, salicilato de metila e vanilina em uma monocultura de eucalipto circundada por cerrado, no município de Urbanos Santos, Maranhão. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente, de abril de 2001 a abril de 2002, entre 8h e 16h, totalizando 96 horas de amostragem. Foram coletados 58 indivíduos de 3 gêneros e 10 espécies. Euglossa Latreille, 1802 foi o gênero mais abundante, seguido por Eufriesea Cockerell, 1909 e Eulaema Lepeletier, 1841. As espécies mais freqüentes foram Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758, Euglossa gaianii Dressler, 1982 e Euglossa modestior (Dressler, 1982. Eucaliptol foi a essência mais atrativa. As maiores freqüências de visitas ocorreram no período da manhã e as maiores abundâncias em setembro, no período de estiagem, e em dezembro, no período chuvoso.Males of Euglossina bees were collected in benzil benzoate, eucaliptol, eugenol, methyl salicylate and vanillin scent baits in an eucalyptus monoculture surrounded by cerrado, located in the municipality of Urbano Santos, Maranhão. The collections were carried out monthly, from April 2001 to April 2002, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., totaling 96 hours of sampling, resulting in 58 individuals of 3 genera and 10 species. Euglossa Latreille, 1802 was the most abundant genus, followed by Eufriesea Cockerell, 1909 and Eulaema Lepeletier, 1841. The most frequent species were Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758, Euglossa gaianii Dressler, 1982 and Euglossa modestior (Dressler, 1982. Eucaliptol was the most attractive chemical bait. The highest frequencies of visits were in the morning and the highest abundance in September, in the drought period, and December, in the rainy period.

  12. Catalogue of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera of North America

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    Yves Bousquet

    2018-01-01

    angustula Casey, 1890, Stethasida stricta Casey, 1912, Stethasida muricatula languida Casey, 1912, Stethasida pertinax Casey, 1912, Stethasida socors Casey, 1912, Stethasida angustula inepta Casey, 1912, Stethasida tenax Casey, 1912, and Stethasida vegrandis Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha muricatula (LeConte, 1851]; Stethasida obsoleta expansa Casey, 1912, Stethasida obsoleta opacella Casey, 1912, Stethasida brevipes Casey, 1912, Stethasida torpida Casey, 1912, Stethasida convergens Casey, 1912, Stethasida discreta Casey, 1912, Stethasida longula Casey, 1912, Stethasida adumbrata Casey, 1912, Stethasida occulta Casey, 1912, Stethasida tarsalis Casey, 1912, Stethasida unica Casey, 1912, and Pelecyphorus laevigatus Papp, 1961 [= Stenomorpha obsoleta (LeConte, 1851]; Trichiasida eremica Wilke, 1922 [= Stenomorpha difficilis (Champion, 1884]; Trichiasida lineatopilosa Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha hirsuta (LeConte, 1851]; Trichiasida tenella Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha hispidula (LeConte, 1851]; Trichiasida duplex Casey, 1912 [= Stenomorpha villosa (Champion, 1884]; Alaudes squamosa Blaisdell, 1919, Alaudes testacea Blaisdell, 1919, and Alaudes fallax Fall, 1928 [= Alaudes singularis Horn, 1870]; Edrotes barrowsi Dajoz, 1999 [=Edrotes ventricosus LeConte, 1851]; Nyctoporis tetrica Casey, 1907 and Nyctoporis maura Casey, 1907 [= Nyctoporis aequicollis Eschscholtz, 1831]; Nyctoporis pullata Casey, 1907 [= Nyctoporis sponsa Casey, 1907]; Eleodes tibialis forma oblonga Blaisdell, 1909 [= Eleodes tibialis Blaisdell, 1909]; Eleodes (manni var. variolosa Blaisdell, 1917 [= Eleodes constrictus LeConte, 1858]; Eleodes cordata forma sublaevis Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma intermedia Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma oblonga Blaisdell, 1909, Eleodes cordata forma elongata Blaisdell, 1909, and Eleodes (cordata var. adulterina Blaisdell, 1917 [= Eleodes cordata Eschscholtz, 1829]; Eleodes hornii var. monticula Blaisdell, 1918 and Eleodes manni sierra Blaisdell, 1925 [= Eleodes fuchsii

  13. EVALUATION OF THE DEGREE OF POLLUTION WITH HEAVY METALS OF SOILS OF TIMISOARA TOWN

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    Stela URUIOC

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Timisoara town as other urban centres is exposed to some possible dangers that soil and plant contamination with heavy metals can produce. The our studies has been realised on ten soil samples and three plant samples gathered from important areas regarding pollution with heavy metals of Timisoara city. The samples have been analyzed through atomic absorption spectrometry with a device type Varian 2, that has a double beam. The content in cobalt, copper, manganese, zinc, cadmium, nickel, lead, magnesium and iron from soil is changeable under maximum admission. The content in iron, manganese, copper, lead, cadmium from Tilia cordata leaves is situated in normal limits, but higher than in soil.

  14. Soil respiration and rates of soil carbon turnover differ among six common European tree species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vesterdal, Lars; Elberling, Bo; Christiansen, Jesper Riis

    2012-01-01

    replicated at six sites in Denmark. The studied tree species were the broadleaves beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), lime (Tilia cordata L.), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and the conifer Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Rates....... Soil respiration differed significantly among several species and increased in the order beechmaple... moisture. Carbon turnover rates based on the ratio between R h and C stock were significantly higher in ash than in all other species except maple, and maple also had higher C turnover than spruce. A similar influence of tree species on C turnover was indicated by the litterfall C to forest floor C ratio...

  15. Subsurface example of a dolomitized middle Guadalupian (Permian) reef from west Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Longacre, S.A.

    1983-01-01

    A middle Guadalupian organic buildup was cored in the North McElroy Unit (NMU No. 3713 well) in Upton County, W. Texas. Fusulinid control indicates the buildup is equivalent to the Goat Seep reef that crops out in the Guadalupe Mt. The organic buildup at North McElroy consists of boundstones and associated flank grainstones. The reef biota is dominated by ramose and encrusting bryozoans, numerous types of calcareous sponges, the problematic encrusting organism Tubiphytes, encrusting algae, crinoids, brachiopods, and trilobites. Among the more significant aspects of diagenesis are mechanical degradation and biologic degradation, leaching, gypsum-anhydrite transformations, cementation, replacement of all calcite by dolomite, cementation and replacement by baroque dolomite, fracturing, and replacement of carbonate by anhydrite. 17 references.

  16. Influence of fumes from industrial works on the seasonal development of trees and shrubs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antipov, V G

    1957-01-01

    Phenological observations were made at Leningrad in 1953 and 1954 on woody species growing near three chemical works. Controls were observed in an unpolluted park. Data on the relative incidence of the main phenological phases (flushing, flowering, fruiting, autumn coloration and leaf-fall) are tabulated separately for each works. Pollution curtailed the growing season to some degree in all species; its effect in hastening coloration and leaf-fall was more marked than in retarding the spring phases. The least susceptible species were Populus balsamifera, P. suaveolens, Alnus incana, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Amelanchier rotundifolia and Lonicera tatarica. Species unsuited for cultivation in these conditions are Caragana arborescens, Prunus padus, Tilia cordata, Ulmus laevis, Crataegus oxyacantha, Betula pubescens and B. verrucosa.

  17. Evaluation of cell cytotoxic effect on herbal extracts mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yong Soo; Gwon, Hui Jeong; Choi, Bo Ram; Lim, Youn Mook; Nho, Young Chang

    2009-01-01

    Herbal extracts (HE) such as Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Eucommia ulimoides, Plantago asiatica var., Morus alba L., and Ulmus davidiana var., are known to suppress an atopic dermatitis like skin lesions. In this study, to evaluate the cell cytotoxicity effect on L929, HaCaT and HMC-1 cell by the HE, the herbs were extracted with distilled water (at 75 .deg. C) and then the HE mixtures were freeze-dried for 5 days and sterilized with γ-rays. The cytotoxicity was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The result showed that the HE mixtures did not significantly affect cell viability and had no toxicity on the cells. These findings indicate that the HE mixtures can be used as a potential therapeutic agent

  18. Evaluation of cell cytotoxic effect on herbal extracts mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yong Soo; Gwon, Hui Jeong; Choi, Bo Ram; Lim, Youn Mook; Nho, Young Chang [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-12-15

    Herbal extracts (HE) such as Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Eucommia ulimoides, Plantago asiatica var., Morus alba L., and Ulmus davidiana var., are known to suppress an atopic dermatitis like skin lesions. In this study, to evaluate the cell cytotoxicity effect on L929, HaCaT and HMC-1 cell by the HE, the herbs were extracted with distilled water (at 75 .deg. C) and then the HE mixtures were freeze-dried for 5 days and sterilized with {gamma}-rays. The cytotoxicity was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The result showed that the HE mixtures did not significantly affect cell viability and had no toxicity on the cells. These findings indicate that the HE mixtures can be used as a potential therapeutic agent.

  19. Effect of gamma-ray irradiated natural herbal extracts on NF-kB activation in HMC-1 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yong Soo; Lim, Youn Mook; Gwon, Hui Jeong; Choi, Bo Ram; Nho, Young Chang

    2009-01-01

    Recently, studies have documented various health benefits of some natural herbal extracts (NHE) such as Houttuynia cordata (H), Centella asiatica (C), Plantago asiatica (P), Morus alba L. (M), and Ulmus davidiana (U). The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the radiation effect on NF-kB activation of the NHE in the human mast cell line (HMC-1). The HMC-1 cells were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus A23187. Both non-and irradiated NHE also significantly inhibited the PMA plus A23187-induced nuclear factor NF-kB activation and also suppressed the expression of activation of NF-kB. These results indicated that the NHE exerted a regulatory effect on inflammatory reactions mediated by mast cells

  20. Effect of gamma-ray irradiated natural herbal extracts on NF-kB activation in HMC-1 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yong Soo; Lim, Youn Mook; Gwon, Hui Jeong; Choi, Bo Ram; Nho, Young Chang [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-12-15

    Recently, studies have documented various health benefits of some natural herbal extracts (NHE) such as Houttuynia cordata (H), Centella asiatica (C), Plantago asiatica (P), Morus alba L. (M), and Ulmus davidiana (U). The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the radiation effect on NF-kB activation of the NHE in the human mast cell line (HMC-1). The HMC-1 cells were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus A23187. Both non-and irradiated NHE also significantly inhibited the PMA plus A23187-induced nuclear factor NF-kB activation and also suppressed the expression of activation of NF-kB. These results indicated that the NHE exerted a regulatory effect on inflammatory reactions mediated by mast cells.

  1. Flowers visited by honey bee in southern Finland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markku Käpylä

    1979-01-01

    Full Text Available A list of nectar and pollen sources of honeybee (Apis mellifera L. in southern Finland based on 44 500 flower records is presented. Only the common wild and cultivated species are included, 139 species altogether. The flowering times are shown with an accuracy of two weeks. The most important food sources during spring (April—May are Salix spp., and Tussilago farfara: during early summer (late May and June Salix spp., Taraxacum officinale, Acer platanoides, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Barbarea vulgaris, Ribes spp., Malus domestica, Sorbus aucuparia, and Geranium sylvaticum; during mid-summer Trifolium repens, T. hybridum, Rubus idaeus, Tilia cordata, Epilobium angustifolium, and Cirsium arvense; during late summer and early autumn Calluna vulgaris, Arctium tomentosum, Sonchus arvensis and Leontodon autumnalis.

  2. A phylogenomic profile of hemerythrins, the nonheme diiron binding respiratory proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mizuguchi Kenji

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hemerythrins, are the non-heme, diiron binding respiratory proteins of brachiopods, priapulids and sipunculans; they are also found in annelids and bacteria, where their functions have not been fully elucidated. Results A search for putative Hrs in the genomes of 43 archaea, 444 bacteria and 135 eukaryotes, revealed their presence in 3 archaea, 118 bacteria, several fungi, one apicomplexan, a heterolobosan, a cnidarian and several annelids. About a fourth of the Hr sequences were identified as N- or C-terminal domains of chimeric, chemotactic gene regulators. The function of the remaining single domain bacterial Hrs remains to be determined. In addition to oxygen transport, the possible functions in annelids have been proposed to include cadmium-binding, antibacterial action and immunoprotection. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree revealed a split into two clades, one encompassing archaea, bacteria and fungi, and the other comprising the remaining eukaryotes. The annelid and sipunculan Hrs share the same intron-exon structure, different from that of the cnidarian Hr. Conclusion The phylogenomic profile of Hrs demonstrated a limited occurrence in bacteria and archaea and a marked absence in the vast majority of multicellular organisms. Among the metazoa, Hrs have survived in a cnidarian and in a few protostome groups; hence, it appears that in metazoans the Hr gene was lost in deuterostome ancestor(s after the radiata/bilateria split. Signal peptide sequences in several Hirudinea Hrs suggest for the first time, the possibility of extracellular localization. Since the α-helical bundle is likely to have been among the earliest protein folds, Hrs represent an ancient family of iron-binding proteins, whose primary function in bacteria may have been that of an oxygen sensor, enabling aerophilic or aerophobic responses. Although Hrs evolved to function as O2 transporters in brachiopods, priapulids and sipunculans, their function in

  3. Lophotrochozoan mitochondrial genomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valles, Yvonne; Boore, Jeffrey L.

    2005-10-01

    Progress in both molecular techniques and phylogeneticmethods has challenged many of the interpretations of traditionaltaxonomy. One example is in the recognition of the animal superphylumLophotrochozoa (annelids, mollusks, echiurans, platyhelminthes,brachiopods, and other phyla), although the relationships within thisgroup and the inclusion of some phyla remain uncertain. While much ofthis progress in phylogenetic reconstruction has been based on comparingsingle gene sequences, we are beginning to see the potential of comparinglarge-scale features of genomes, such as the relative order of genes.Even though tremendous progress is being made on the sequencedetermination of whole nuclear genomes, the dataset of choice forgenome-level characters for many animals across a broad taxonomic rangeremains mitochondrial genomes. We review here what is known aboutmitochondrial genomes of the lophotrochozoans and discuss the promisethat this dataset will enable insight into theirrelationships.

  4. Cornulitids (tubeworms) from the Late Ordovician Hirnantia fauna of Morocco

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez-Marco, Juan Carlos; Vinn, Olev

    2018-01-01

    Two species of cornulitids, Cornulites gondwanensis sp. nov. and C. aff. shallochensis Reed are described from the Hirnantian of Morocco, within an assemblage representative of the Hirnantia brachiopod fauna occurring near the Ordovician South Pole. The dominance of aggregated and solitary free forms could be explained by particular sedimentary environments preceding the Hirnantian glaciation and the latest Ordovician Extinction Event. The diversity of cornulitids in the Late Ordovician of Gondwana and related terranes was relatively low, and less diverse than the cornulitids of Laurentia and Baltica. Hirnantian cornulitids from Morocco do not resemble Late Ordovician cornulitids of Baltica and Laurentia. Moroccan cornulitids seem to be closely allied to some older Gondwanan cornulitids, especially Sardinian ones. They resemble species described from the Late Ordovician and Llandovery of Scotland suggesting a palaeobiogeographic link.

  5. New data on internal morphology of exceptionally preserved Nannirhynchia pygmaea (Morris, 1847 from the Lusitanian Basin (Brachiopoda, Early Jurassic, Portugal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Schemm-Gregory

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Pyritized internal moulds of articulated shells of the Early Jurassic brachiopod taxon Nannirhynchia pygmaea were found in beds closely below the early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event in the Polymorphum Zone in Portugal. The material allows a detailed study of the outline of the muscle fields, the length and direction of the crura, and the orientation of the cardinalia, which are hitherto undescribed. Three-dimensional reconstructions of articulated shells of N. pygmaea occurring in a single horizon were produced to show the orientation and length of arcuiform crura. The preservation of internal moulds together with the three-dimensional reconstruction of the internal shell morphology allow a more precise description of the internal morphology of this taxon than it is possible with articulated shells and serial sections. doi:10.1002/mmng.201200005

  6. Impact Theory of Mass Extinctions and the Invertebrate Fossil Record

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Walter; Kauffman, Erle G.; Surlyk, Finn; Alvarez, Luis W.; Asaro, Frank; Michel, Helen V.

    1984-03-01

    There is much evidence that the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary was marked by a massive meteorite impact. Theoretical consideration of the consequences of such an impact predicts sharp extinctions in many groups of animals precisely at the boundary. Paleontological data clearly show gradual declines in diversity over the last 1 to 10 million years in various invertebrate groups. Reexamination of data from careful studies of the best sections shows that, in addition to undergoing the decline, four groups (ammonites, cheilostomate bryozoans, brachiopods, and bivalves) were affected by sudden truncations precisely at the iridium anomaly that marks the boundary. The paleontological record thus bears witness to terminal-Cretaceous extinctions on two time scales: a slow decline unrelated to the impact and a sharp truncation synchronous with and probably caused by the impact.

  7. The mitochondrial genome of phoronis architecta--Comparisons demonstrate that phoronids are lophotrochozoan protostomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Helfenbein, Kevin G.; Boore, Jeffrey L.

    2004-01-31

    The proper reconstruction of the relationships among the animal phyla is central to interpreting patterns of animal evolution from the genomic level to the morphological level. This is true not only of the more speciose phyla, but also of smaller groups. We report here the nearly complete DNA sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the phoronid Phoronis architecta, which has a gene arrangement remarkably similar to that of a protostome animal, the chiton Katharina tunicata. Evolutionary analysis of both gene arrangements and inferred amino acid sequences of these taxa, along with those of three brachiopods and other diverse animals, strongly supports the hypothesis that lophophorates are part of the large group that includes mollusks and annelids, i.e., the Lophotrochozoa, and solidly refutes the alternative of their being deuterostomes.

  8. Causes of the dying of Scots pine and Norway spruce in the Okhta training-cum-experimental forest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Podzorov, N V

    1961-01-01

    A survey was conducted of the health of these stands on the outskirts of Leningrad, where there has been considerable and increasing mortality since 1880. The chief causes are air pollution (especially from the Okhta chemical industry), climatic upsets, and periodic excesses of soil moisture. Counter measures recommended include: creating a protective belt 300-350 m wide of the most smoke resistant trees (Larix sibirica, Betula pubescens, Populus X canadensis, Tilia cordata, Acer negundo, Ulmus glabra and U. laevis) in the areas closest to the city, with the rows at 90/sup 0/ to the direction of the prevailing wind. Site improvement measures should be undertaken on level ground, heavy soils, and areas with excess soil moisture, and mixtures of conifers and broadleaved species should be planted. 7 references.

  9. Late Ordovician brachiopod distribution and ecospace partitioning in the Tvären crater system, Sweden

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frisk, Åsa M.; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

    2013-01-01

    of the guild structure of the fauna permits explanation of a local biodiversity hotspot in otherwise low-diversity strata elsewhere in the Scandinavian region. The Tvaren impact event had an important palaeobiologic effect upon the fossil record as it served as a local pump and reservoir for biodiversity....... Moreover the development of new community types and narrowly-defined niches helped further drive both a and p biodiversity during a critical phase of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

  10. Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) of brachiopod shell interiors for taxonomy: Preliminary report

    OpenAIRE

    Motchurova-Dekova Neda; Harper David A.T.

    2010-01-01

    Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) is a non-destructive technique for the investigation and visualization of the internal features of solid opaque objects, which allows reconstruction of a complete three-dimensional image of internal structures by recording of the differences in the effects on the passage of waves of energy reacting with those structures. Contrary to X-rays, produced in a conventional X-ray tube, the intense synchrot...

  11. Biogeographic and bathymetric determinants of brachiopod extinction and survival during the Late Ordovician mass extinction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Finnegan, Seth; Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Harper, David A. T.

    2016-01-01

    –Early Silurian genus extinctions and evaluate which extinction drivers are best supported by the data. The first (latest Katian) pulse of the LOME preferentially affected genera restricted to deeper waters or to relatively narrow (less than 35°) palaeolatitudinal ranges. This pattern is only observed...... in the latest Katian, suggesting that it reflects drivers unique to this interval. Extinction of exclusively deeper-water genera implies that changes in water mass properties such as dissolved oxygen content played an important role. Extinction of genera with narrow latitudinal ranges suggests that interactions...... between shifting climate zones and palaeobiogeography may also have been important. We test the latter hypothesis by estimating whether each genus would have been able to track habitats within its thermal tolerance range during the greenhouse–icehouse climate transition. Models including these estimates...

  12. Combined oxygen- and carbon-isotope records through the Early Jurassic: multiple global events and two modes of carbon-cycle/temperature coupling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hesselbo, Stephen P.; Korte, Christoph

    2010-01-01

    , to the extent that meaningful comparisons between these events can begin to be made. Here we present new carbon and oxygen isotope data from mollusks (bivalves and belemnites) and brachiopods collected through the marine Early Jurassic succession of NE England, including the Sinemurian-Plienbachian boundary...... GSSP. All materials have been screened by chemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy to check for diagenetic alteration. Analysis of carbon isotopes from marine calcite is supplemented by analysis of carbon-isotope values from fossil wood collected through the same section. It is demonstrated...... that both long-term and short-term carbon-isotope shifts from the UK Early Jurassic represent global changes in carbon cycle balances. The Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event is an event of global significance and shows several similarities to the Toarcian OAE (relative sea-level change, carbon-isotope...

  13. Transition areas in the domain patterns of storeyed cambium of Tilia cordata Mill.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiesław Włoch

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of interlocked grain, generated by storeyed cambium, was observed in the wood of linden. The inclination of the grain changed periodically every two to four years. In general, the direction of the change of grain was compatible with the occurrence of configuration Z or S of cellular events. 1f, in the cambium during the generation of a growth ring, the domain border did not pass the examined area, the events were of one configuration type only, otherwise, there were two types of events aggregated into microareas. The microareas were the result of unsynchronous activities of groups of cambium cells. A growth ring area through which a domain border passed during the year under consideration was called the transition area.

  14. Concurrent enrichment in δD and δ13C in CH4 within stems of aquatic plants relative to methane within sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chanton, J.P.; Showers, W.J.

    1991-01-01

    13 CH 4 enrichment in methane within the stems of aquatic macrophytes relative to methane held within the sediments has been demonstrated previously. Hypotheses offered to explain this phenomenon include methane oxidation, production and transport effects (Chanton et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 799, 1989). The authors report here concurrent enrichment of δD and δ 13 C ranging from 36-59 per-thousand and 5.8-11.5 per-thousand respectively for methane within stems relative to methane within the sediments in a stand of Pontederia cordata. This sympathetic variation of H and C isotopes serves to eliminate the production hypothesis as an explanation of the effects observed. If production effects were responsible for the 13 CH 4 enrichment within macrophyte stems, H and C isotopes would have been expected to vary antipathetically (Whiticar et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 50, 693, 1986)

  15. Compostos voláteis em méis florais Volatile compounds in floral honeys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alberto Bastos De Maria

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available A review about origin, composition and importance of volatile compounds in floral honeys is presented. Hydrocarbons, aromatic components, acids, diacids, terpenoids, ketones, aldehydes, esters and alcohols have been found in honey aroma of different botanical origin. Cis-rose oxide has been proposed as an indicator for Tilia cordata honey. Citrus honeys are known to contain methyl anthranilate, a compound which other honeys virtually lack. Linalool, phenylethylalcohol, phenylacetaldehyde, p-anisaldehyde and benzaldehyde are important contributors for the aroma of different unifloral honeys. Both isovaleric acid, gama-decalactone and benzoic acid appears to be important odourants for Anarcadium occidentale and Croton sp. honeys from Brazil. The furfurylmercaptan, benzyl alcohol, delta-octalactone, eugenol, phenylethylalcohol and guaiacol appear to be only relevant compounds for Anarcadium occidentale. The vanillin was considered an important odourant only for Croton sp..

  16. Macroinvertebrate palaeo-communities from the Jurassic succession of Gebel Maghara (Sinai, Egypt)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelhady, Ahmed Awad; Fürsich, Franz Theodor

    2014-09-01

    Macrobenthic palaeo-communities of the Middle and Upper Jurassic strata of G. Maghara, Egypt, were investigated to identify relationships with environmental parameters and to trace the temporal changes of the ecosystem associated with sea-level fluctuations. The quantitative analysis of a data matrix comprising 198 macrobenthic taxa in 138 samples collected from four sections identified nine associations and three assemblages, interpreted to be representative of their original environment. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) delineated the same degree of habitat partitioning as hierarchical clusters with very little overlap. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) identified water depth as the primary environmental gradient controlling the distribution of the fauna, while Axis 2 reflects substrate consistency. Community structure is related to the various ramp environments. Based on diversities, the associations and assemblages have been divided into two major groups, low-stress polyspecific associations and high-stress paucispecific associations. The low-stress polyspecific associations were interpreted to represent two different habitats, a high-energy, firm substrate habitat, in which epifaunal bivalves and brachiopods in addition to solitary corals dominated during advanced stages of transgression, and a low-energy, soft substrate habitat dominated by infaunal bivalves during the maximum flooding. The high-stress paucispecific associations are dominated by one or few taxa and occurred (1) in an oligotrophic setting that developed during episodes of sediment starvation in restricted inner ramp environments or during early transgression, (2) in a setting characterized by high sedimentation rates which developed during advanced regression, (3) in a distal prodelta setting with soft substrate and dysoxia during sea-level lowstand, and (4) in a high-energy shoal environment during peak regression. A combined stress involving a shortage in food supply

  17. Multigene analysis of lophophorate and chaetognath phylogenetic relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmkampf, Martin; Bruchhaus, Iris; Hausdorf, Bernhard

    2008-01-01

    Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of seven concatenated fragments of nuclear-encoded housekeeping genes indicate that Lophotrochozoa is monophyletic, i.e., the lophophorate groups Bryozoa, Brachiopoda and Phoronida are more closely related to molluscs and annelids than to Deuterostomia or Ecdysozoa. Lophophorates themselves, however, form a polyphyletic assemblage. The hypotheses that they are monophyletic and more closely allied to Deuterostomia than to Protostomia can be ruled out with both the approximately unbiased test and the expected likelihood weights test. The existence of Phoronozoa, a putative clade including Brachiopoda and Phoronida, has also been rejected. According to our analyses, phoronids instead share a more recent common ancestor with bryozoans than with brachiopods. Platyhelminthes is the sister group of Lophotrochozoa. Together these two constitute Spiralia. Although Chaetognatha appears as the sister group of Priapulida within Ecdysozoa in our analyses, alternative hypothesis concerning chaetognath relationships could not be rejected.

  18. The post-Laramide clastic deposits of the Sierra de Guanajuato: Compositional implications on the tectono-sedimentary and paleographic evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miranda-Aviles, R.; Puy-Alquiza, M.J.; OmaNa, L.; Loza-Aguirre, I.

    2016-07-01

    This article presents the results of the study on sedimentation, sedimentary environments, tectono-sedimentary and paleogeographic evolution of post-Laramide clastic deposits and pre-volcanism of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Sierra de Guanajuato, central Mexico. The Eocene Duarte Conglomerate and Guanajuato Conglomerate were deposited in the middle and distal parts of alluvial fans. The studied rocks are composed of limestone clasts, granite, andesite, metasediments, diorite, and pyroxenite, indicating the erosion of uplifted blocks of the basal complex of the Sierra de Guanajuato (Arperos basin). The petrographic and compositional analysis of limestone shows a textural variation from basin limestones and shallow platform limestones. The shallow platform limestone contain bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, echinoderms and benthic foraminifera from the Berriasian-Valanginian. The shallow-water limestone corresponds to the boundary of the Arperos basin whose original outcrops currently not outcrop in the Sierra de Guanajuato. (Author)

  19. Strontium chemostratigraphy of carbonate sediments - Pilot study of Silurian and Devonian brachiopods from the Prague Basin

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Janoušek, V.; Hladil, Jindřich; Frýda, J.; Slavík, Ladislav; Šmíd, J.

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 13, - (2001), s. 68-69 ISSN 1210-9606. [Meeting of the Czech Tectonics Studies Group /6./. Donovaly - Nízké Tatry, 03.05.2001-06.05.2001] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK3012103 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z3013912 Keywords : strontium chemostratigraphy * aquafacies * Devonian Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://geolines.gli.cas.cz/fileadmin/volumes/volume13/G13-068b.pdf

  20. Development of Acne therapeutic hydrogel patches by radiation technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim, Younmook; Nho, Youngchang; Gwon, Huijeong; Park, Jongseok; Kim, Jinkyu; Kim, Yongsoo

    2012-04-15

    In this project, hydrogel patches containing herbal extracts mixture were developed by radiation technology for acne treatment. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), one of the anaerobic bacterium, is the cause of inflammatory acne. To find novel mediation for inflammation of P. acnes, we confirmed the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of several herbal extracts against P. acnes. The water extracts from five dried herbs, Phellodendron amurense Rupr., Paeonia lactiflora Pallas., Houttuynia cordata Thumb., Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., were mixed into biocompatible polymers and irradiated by using gamma-ray to prepare hydrogels. The hydrogels containing herbal extracts mixture initiated to decrease the growth of P. acnes and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-{alpha}, IL-8, IL-1{beta} and IL-6, in experiment with human monocytic THP-1 cells treated with heat-killed P. acnes at 1 mg/ml of mixture concentration.

  1. Study on cytokine modulation in mast cell-induced allergic reactions by using gamma-irradiated natural herbal extracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gwon, Hui Jeong; Lim, Youn Mook; Kim, Yong Soo; Nho, Young Chang; Kim Hae Kyoung

    2009-01-01

    We previously described that some natural herbal extracts such as Houttuynia cordata (H), Centella asiatica (C), Plantago asiatica (P), Morus alba L. (M), and Ulmus davidiana (U), differentially suppress an atopic dermatitis like skin lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pro-inflammatory cytokine modulation of the water extract of the H, C, P, M, U, and those mixtures (M) and their mechanism in a phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) plus calcium inopore A23187 treated human mast cell line (HMC-1). The H, C, P, M, U, and M inhibited the inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 stimulated by PMA plus A23187 from HMC-1 cells. In addition, the M did not significantly affect the cell viability and had no toxicity on the HMC-1 cells. Based on these results, M can be used for the treatment of an allergic inflammation response

  2. Development of Acne therapeutic hydrogel patches by radiation technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Younmook; Nho, Youngchang; Gwon, Huijeong; Park, Jongseok; Kim, Jinkyu; Kim, Yongsoo

    2012-04-01

    In this project, hydrogel patches containing herbal extracts mixture were developed by radiation technology for acne treatment. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), one of the anaerobic bacterium, is the cause of inflammatory acne. To find novel mediation for inflammation of P. acnes, we confirmed the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of several herbal extracts against P. acnes. The water extracts from five dried herbs, Phellodendron amurense Rupr., Paeonia lactiflora Pallas., Houttuynia cordata Thumb., Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., were mixed into biocompatible polymers and irradiated by using gamma-ray to prepare hydrogels. The hydrogels containing herbal extracts mixture initiated to decrease the growth of P. acnes and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-1β and IL-6, in experiment with human monocytic THP-1 cells treated with heat-killed P. acnes at 1 mg/ml of mixture concentration

  3. Study on cytokine modulation in mast cell-induced allergic reactions by using gamma-irradiated natural herbal extracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gwon, Hui Jeong; Lim, Youn Mook; Kim, Yong Soo; Nho, Young Chang [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of); Kim Hae Kyoung [Chonbuk National University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-12-15

    We previously described that some natural herbal extracts such as Houttuynia cordata (H), Centella asiatica (C), Plantago asiatica (P), Morus alba L. (M), and Ulmus davidiana (U), differentially suppress an atopic dermatitis like skin lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pro-inflammatory cytokine modulation of the water extract of the H, C, P, M, U, and those mixtures (M) and their mechanism in a phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) plus calcium inopore A23187 treated human mast cell line (HMC-1). The H, C, P, M, U, and M inhibited the inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-{alpha}, IL-6 and IL-8 stimulated by PMA plus A23187 from HMC-1 cells. In addition, the M did not significantly affect the cell viability and had no toxicity on the HMC-1 cells. Based on these results, M can be used for the treatment of an allergic inflammation response.

  4. A NEW DAONELLA FROM THE LADINIAN PLATFORM OF THE ESINO LIMESTONE (SOUTHERN ALPS, ITALY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CRISTIANO LARGHI

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available The bivalve Daonella Mojsisovics, 1874 is very common in the Middle Triassic pelagic facies, whereas the record of this genus from shallow water limestones is rare. In the present paper a new species of Daonella, named D. pseudograbensis, is described from the Esino Limestone, a Ladinian (Middle Triassic carbonate platform in the central Southern Alps. The species is described from Brembana Valley, where the Esino Limestone is rather rich in bioclastic lenses yielding faunas with bivalves, cephalopods, gastropods, brachiopods, corals and calcareous algae. Daonella pseudograbensis n. sp. is based on very well preserved specimens, which are often articulated and closed, all coming from the same locality. The new species shows a narrow range of intraspecific and ontogenetic morphologic variations. It is easy distinguishable from the other species of the genus for the outline and ornamentation; it therefore differs from D. grabensis Kittl, 1912, the most similar species, for the longer anterior dorsal margin.Pdf

  5. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING USING LINDEN TREE LEAVES AS NATURAL TRAPS OF ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION: A PILOT STUDY IN TRANSILVANIA, ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MIHÁLY BRAUN

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric pollution caused by toxic elements is an emerging problem of concern. Tree leaves have been widely used as indicator of atmospheric pollutions and they are effective alternatives to the moreusual biomonitoring methods. Tree leaves can be used as natural traps of atmospheric deposition. Elemental composition of dust deposited onto leaf surfaces can be used to characterize the urban environment. A pilot survey including 16 Romanian settlements was carried out in order to evaluate the characteristics and sources of air pollutants. Tree leaves (Tilia tomentosa, Tilia cordata, Tilia platyphyllos were collected and used for the measurements. Elemental analyses were carried out by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Principal component and discriminant analyses were used to characterizing and estimating the level of pollution. Settlements were grouped on the basis of discriminant function values. Multivariate comparison of chemical data ordered the settlements into 3 main groups, which showed a systematic geographic distribution.

  6. A review of the Late Cambrian (Furongian) palaeogeography in the western Mediterranean region, NW Gondwana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvaro, J. Javier; Ferretti, Annalisa; González-Gómez, Cristina; Serpagli, Enrico; Tortello, M. Franco; Vecoli, Marco; Vizcaïno, Daniel

    2007-11-01

    , onchonotinids, and pagodiids), linguliformean brachiopods (acrotretids, obolids, scaphelasmatids, siphonotretids, and zhanatellids), echinoderms (mitrates, glyptocystitid cystoids, and stromatocystoids), and conodonts belonging to the lower Peltura Zone; and (iii) the subsequent input of new trilobites (asaphids, calymenids, catillicephalids, nileids and remopleurids), which marks the base of the Proteuloma geinitzi Zone, associated with pelmatozoan holdfasts ( Oryctoconus), and a distinct input of late Tremadocian conodonts ( Paltodus deltifer Zone). The biogeographic distribution of latest Middle and Late Cambrian trilobites supports brachiopod data indicating strong affinities between the western Mediterranean region, East Gondwana (North China/Korea, South China, Australia, and Antarctica) and Kazakhstania during the late Languedocian, which became significantly stronger during the Late Cambrian. This major shift may suggest modification in oceanic circulation patterns throughout Gondwana across the Middle-Late Cambrian transition.

  7. Systematics of some Lower and Middle Devonian spiriferid brachiopods from Gaspe with a revision of the superfamily Delthyridoidea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bizzarro, Martin; Lespérance, P.J.

    1999-01-01

    new species aye described: Howellella (Howellella) forillonensis, Brachyspirifer (Brachyspirifer) briseboisi, Paraspirifer desbiensi, Brevispirifer florentinus, and B. quebecensis, The occurrence of Brevispirifer species with Middle Devonian chonetaceans confirms the presence of marine Eifelian strata...

  8. In Vitro Conservation of Twenty-Three Overexploited Medicinal Plants Belonging to the Indian Sub Continent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyanka Verma

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Twenty-three pharmaceutically important plants, namely, Elaeocarpus spharicus, Rheum emodi, Indigofera tinctoria, Picrorrhiza kurroa, Bergenia ciliata, Lavandula officinalis, Valeriana wallichii, Coleus forskohlii, Gentiana kurroo, Saussurea lappa, Stevia rebaudiana, Acorus calamus, Pyrethrum cinerariaefolium, Aloe vera, Bacopa monnieri, Salvia sclarea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Swertia cordata, Psoralea corylifolia, Jurinea mollis, Ocimum sanctum, Paris polyphylla, and Papaver somniferum, which are at the verge of being endangered due to their overexploitation and collection from the wild, were successfully established in vitro. Collections were made from the different biodiversity zones of India including Western Himalaya, Northeast Himalaya, Gangetic plain, Western Ghats, Semiarid Zone, and Central Highlands. Aseptic cultures were raised at the morphogenic level of callus, suspension, axillary shoot, multiple shoot, and rooted plants. Synseeds were also produced from highly proliferating shoot cultures of Bacopa monnieri, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Stevia rebaudiana, Valeriana wallichii, Gentiana kurroo, Lavandula officinalis, and Papaver somniferum. In vitro flowering was observed in Papaver somniferum, Psoralea corylifolia, and Ocimum sanctum shoots cultures. Out of 23 plants, 18 plants were successfully hardened under glasshouse conditions.

  9. Survival and death of seeds during liquid nitrogen storage: a case study on seeds with short lifespans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballesteros, D; Pence, V C

    The low temperature of liquid nitrogen is assumed to stop ageing and preserve viability indefinitely, however there are few validating data sets. The use of seeds to test these assumptions is important because other cryopreserved systems lack quantitative measures of viability to allow comparisons among timed points. To evaluate survival of a collection of seeds with short lifespans stored 12-20 years in liquid nitrogen. Seeds from 11 species (26 accessions) were removed from cryostorage and evaluated for germination and normal growth. Germination of Plantago cordata and Betula spp. seeds did not decrease significantly during cryostorage. However, Populus deltoides and most Salix spp. accessions showed a significant decrease in germination, with further loss observed when P. deltoides seedlings were followed to the young plant stage. Seeds of initial low quality showed greater deterioration during cryostorage. Cryostorage maintained viability of Salix and Populus seeds longer than other temperatures. However, ageing was not completely stopped and seed longevity was shorter than that predicted for many other species. A high initial seed quality is important in order to obtain the maximum benefit of cryostorage.

  10. An Outbreak of Human Fascioliasis gigantica in Southwest China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jia-Xu; Chen, Mu-Xin; Ai, Lin; Xu, Xue-Nian; Jiao, Jian-Ming; Zhu, Ting-Jun; Su, Hui-Yong; Zang, Wei; Luo, Jia-Jun; Guo, Yun-Hai; Lv, Shan; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

    2013-01-01

    Fascioliasis is a common parasitic disease in livestock in China. However, human fascioliasis is rarely reported in the country. Here we describe an outbreak of human fascioliasis in Yunnan province. We reviewed the complete clinical records of 29 patients and performed an epidemiological investigation on the general human population and animals in the outbreak locality. Our findings support an outbreak due to Fasciola gigantica with a peak in late November, 2011. The most common symptoms were remittent fever, epigastric tenderness, and hepatalgia. Eosinophilia and tunnel-like lesions in ultrasound imaging in the liver were also commonly seen. Significant improvement of patients' condition was achieved by administration of triclabendazole®. Fasciola spp. were discovered in local cattle (28.6%) and goats (26.0%). Molecular evidence showed a coexistence of F. gigantica and F. hepatica. However, all eggs seen in humans were confirmed to be F. gigantica. Herb (Houttuynia cordata) was most likely the source of infections. Our findings indicate that human fascioliasis is a neglected disease in China. The distribution of triclabendazole®, the only efficacious drug against human fascioliasis, should be promoted.

  11. Role of six European tree species and land-use legacy for nitrogen and water budgets in forests

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riis Christiansen, Jesper; Vesterdal, Lars; Callesen, Ingeborg

    2010-01-01

    -year-old common garden design with stands of common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) replicated at two sites...... in Denmark, Mattrup and Vallø during 2 years. Mean annual percolation below the root zone (mm yr−1±SE, n=4) ranked in the following order: maple (351±38)>lime (284±32), oak (271±25), beech (257±30), ash (307±69)≫ spruce (75±24). There were few significant tree species effects on N fluxes. However, the annual...... mean N throughfall flux (kg N ha−1 yr−1±SE, n=4) for spruce (28±2) was significantly larger than for maple (12±1), beech (11±1) and oak (9±1) stands but not different from that of lime (15±3). Ash had a low mean annual inorganic N throughfall deposition of 9.1 kg ha−1, but was only present at Mattrup...

  12. Screening of Venezuelan medicinal plant extracts for cytostatic and cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Peter; Arsenak, Miriam; Abad, María Jesús; Fernández, Angel; Milano, Balentina; Gonto, Reina; Ruiz, Marie-Christine; Fraile, Silvia; Taylor, Sofía; Estrada, Omar; Michelangeli, Fabian

    2013-04-01

    There are estimated to be more than 20,000 species of plants in Venezuela, of which more than 1500 are used for medicinal purposes by indigenous and local communities. Only a relatively small proportion of these have been evaluated in terms of their potential as antitumor agents. In this study, we screened 308 extracts from 102 species for cytostatic and cytotoxic activity against a panel of six tumor cell lines using a 24-h sulphorhodamine B assay. Extracts from Clavija lancifolia, Hamelia patens, Piper san-vicentense, Physalis cordata, Jacaranda copaia, Heliotropium indicum, and Annona squamosa were the most cytotoxic, whereas other extracts from Calotropis gigantea, Hyptis dilatata, Chromolaena odorata, Siparuna guianensis, Jacaranda obtusifolia, Tapirira guianensis, Xylopia aromatica, Protium heptaphyllum, and Piper arboreum showed the greatest cytostatic activity. These results confirm previous reports on the cytotoxic activities of the above-mentioned plants as well as prompting further studies on others such as C. lancifolia and H. dilatata that have not been so extensively studied. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Complex Ornament Machining Process on a CNC Router

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camelia COŞEREANU

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper investigates the CNC routering possibilities for three species of wood, namely ash (Fraxinus Excelsior, lime wood (Tilia cordata and fir wood (Abies Alba, in order to obtain right surfaces of Art Nouveau sculptured ornaments. Given the complexity of the CNC tool path for getting wavy shapes of Art Nouveau decorations, the choice of processing parameters for each processed species of wood requires a laborious research work to correlate these parameters. Two Art Nouveau ornaments are proposed for the investigation. They are CNC routered using two types of cutting tools. The processed parameters namely the spindle speed, feed speed and depth of cut were the three variables of the machining process for the three species of wood, which were combined so, to provide good surface finish as a quality attribute. There were totally forty six variants of combining the processing parameter which were applied for CNC routering the samples made of the three species of wood. At the end, an optimum combination of the processed parameters is recommended for each species of wood.

  14. The orchid bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossina in a forest fragment from western Paraná state, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo B. Gonçalves

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An orchid bee inventory was carried out in Parque Estadual São Camilo, Palotina, Paraná (Brazil; conservation unit with about 400 hectares of Semidecidual Seasonal forest. Three bait traps were installed at the border of the fragment, each one containing the following fragrances: 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and vanilin. Sampling was carried out from 09am to 03pm, October 2011 to June 2012, summing up nine sampling days. A total of 186 specimens distributed among seven species were sampled. Eufriesea violacea with 140 specimens was the most common species, followed by Euglossa fimbriata (31, Euglossa annectans (9, Eulaema nigrita (4, Euglossa cordata (1, Euglossa pleosticta (1, and Exaerete smaragdina (1. According to qualitative and NMDS analysis, the orchid bee fauna of Parque Estadual São Camilo is representative of Semidecidual Seasonal forest, with richness comparable with other assemblages in the southern distribution of Euglossina. The sampled bee richness indicates that forest fragments, even small and isolated, are important in the conservation of this bees.

  15. Toxic plants affecting the nervous system of ruminants and horses in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franklin Riet-Correa

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: This review updates information about neurotoxic plants affecting ruminants and equidae in Brazil. Currently in the country, there are at least 131 toxic plants belonging to 79 genera. Thirty one of these poisonous plants affect the nervous system. Swainsonine-containing plants (Ipomoea spp., Turbina cordata and Sida carpinifolia cause numerous outbreaks of poisoning, mainly in goats, but cattle and horses are occasionally affected. The poisoning by Ipomoea asarifolia, a tremorgenic plant, is very common in sheep, goats and cattle in the Northeastern region and in the Marajo island. Poisoning by the pods of Prosopis juliflora are frequent in cattle in Northeastern Brazil; occasionally this poisoning affects goats and more rarely sheep. Some poisonings by plants, such as Hybanthus calceolaria, Ipomoea marcellia and Talisia esculenta in ruminants and Indigofera lespedezioides in horses were recently described and needs to be accurately investigated about its occurrence and importance. Other plants poisonings causing nervous signs in ruminants and equidae are less important, but should be considered for the differential diagnosis of neurologic diseases.

  16. Episodic events in long-term geological processes: A new classification and its applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry A. Ruban

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Long-term geological processes are usually described with curves reflecting continuous changes in the characteristic parameters through the geological history, and such curves can be employed directly for recognition of episodic (relatively long-term events linked to these changes. The episodic events can be classified into several categories according to their scale (ordinary and anomalous events, “shape” (positive, negative, and neutral events, and relation to long-term trend change (successive, interruptive, facilitative, stabilizing, transformative, increasing, and decreasing. Many types of these events can be defined depending on the combination of the above-mentioned patterns. Of course, spatial rank, duration, and origin can be also considered in description of these events. The proposed classification can be applied to events in some real long-term geological processes, which include global sea-level changes, biodiversity dynamics, lithospheric plate number changes, and palaeoclimate changes. Several case examples prove the usefulness of the classification. It is established that the Early Valanginian (Early Cretaceous eustatic lowstand (the lowest position of the sea level in the entire Cretaceous was negative, but ordinary and only interruptive event. In the other case, it becomes clear that the only end-Ordovician and the Permian/Triassic mass extinctions transformed the trends of the biodiversity dynamics (from increase to decrease and from decrease to increase respectively, and the only Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction was really anomalous event on the Phanerozoic biodiversity curve. The new palaeontological data are employed to reconstruct the diversity dynamics of brachiopods in Germany (without the Alps and the Swiss Jura Mountains. The further interpretation of the both diversity curves implies that the Early Toarcian mass extinction affected the regional brachiopod faunas strongly, but this event was only decreasing

  17. Checklist of recent brachiopod species collected during the Terrasses and Exbodi cruises in the New Caledonian region, SW Pacific

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitner, Maria Aleksandra

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Twenty species belonging to 16 genera, i.e. Neoancistrocrania, Novocrania, Basiliola, Basiliolella, Ebiscothyris, Stenosarina, Kanakythyris, Xenobrochus, Terebratulina, Eucalathis, Fallax, Frenulina, Septicollarina, Campages, Annuloplatidia, and Thecidellina have been identified in the material collected during the Terrasses and Exbodi cruises in the New Caledonian region, SW Pacific. The species Basiliolella grayi (Woodward, 1855) and Fallax neocaledonensis Laurin, 1997 are the most common in the studied collection, while Eucalathis murrayi (Davidson, 1878) is reported for the first time from the New Caledonian region. PMID:26798235

  18. Impact of emissions of Pridneprovsk TPP in Dnipropetrovsk on the anatomical indices of stem of two-year whip of the Tilia genus representatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. V. Gritzay

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents discussion of the results of studying the impact of environmental contamination because of emissions of Pridneprovsk TPP in Dnipropetrovsk city on the anatomical indices of stem of two-year whip of the Tilia genus representatives. Objects of study were T. platyphyllos Scop., T. europaea L. and T. cordata Mill. Material was collected in September 2015 on two sampling areas: experimental plot – tree plantations adjacent to Pridneprovsk TPP which emissions mainly comprise the pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, with the share in total volume of emissions of the Plant being 67.3%, 18.7%, 13.3%, respectively; control plot (conditionally clean – territory of the Botanical garden of Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University. For research, two-year whips located in the apical portion of branches of the same order of branching were taken. Sections were made at the medium cross-line of the stem, and stained with the alcoholic solution of phloroglucinol. 30 sections for each species were measured on each sampling area. In the objects under study on technogenically contaminated area the changes in dimensions of histological elements of the stem were found and the nature of such changes had specific differences. T. platyphyllos and T. europaea under action of toxic emissions of TPP demonstrated the increase of total size of primary cortex of stem and width of its individual components (plug, collenchyma, cortex parenchyma, maintenance of stable dimensions of the bark and its histological elements (hard and soft bast, and in T. europaea the wood radius as well, which we considered as the indicators of relative stability of these species in technogenic environment. In T. cordata in the TPP emission zone we revealed the increase in the width of plug, cortex parenchyma, and total radius of primary cortex, which could provide certain tolerance of plants of this species in the adverse conditions of

  19. Biologia floral e polinização de Arrabidaea conjugata (Vell. Mart. (Bignoniaceae Floral and pollination biology of Arrabidaea conjugata (Vell. Mart. (Bignoniaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Célia Rodrigues Correia

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available O trabalho aborda a biologia floral, a atividade forrageira dos visitantes florais (polinizadores e pilhadores, os eventos fenológicos e o sistema de reprodução de Arrabidaea conjugata (Vell. Mart. (Bignoniaceae, em área de vegetação de restinga, município de Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, no período 1997 a 2000. A espécie estudada tem flores com antese diurna, lilases, tubulosas, hermafroditas, odoríferas e oferecem néctar como recurso floral. O néctar é secretado por um disco localizado na base do gineceu e é acumulado em câmara nectarífera. Os grãos de pólen são liberados gradativamente, prolongando-se a fase de doação de pólen. As abelhas Euglossa cordata Linnaeus, Centris analis Fabricius e C. tarsata Smith são os polinizadores da espécie. Destaca-se pilhagem primária de néctar, por abelhas, e secundária, por borboletas e beija-flor. A espécie é auto-incompatível, apresentando baixos índices de formação de frutos em condições naturais (Frutos/Flores = 12,2%. Foi registrado padrão de floração "cornucópia", entre os meses de dezembro a março (estação quente/chuvosa, com pico em janeiro. As sementes são anemocóricas e liberadas gradativamente na estação fria e seca.This work deals with the floral biology, the foraging activities of floral visitors (pollinators and robbers, phenology and reproductive system of Arrabidaea conjugata (Vell. Mart. (Bignoniaceae in the "restinga" of Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1997 to 2000. The flowers display daytime anthesis and last only one day. These attractive pink flowers are tubular, hermaphroditic, odoriferous and produce nectar as the floral reward. The nectar is secreted by a nectariferous disk concealed within a chamber. The pollen grains are gradually released throughout anthesis, extending the pollen presentation phase. The bees Euglossa cordata Linnaeus, Centris analis Fabricius and C. tarsata Smith are the pollinator species. Primary and secondary

  20. The intrusive growth of initial cells in re-arangement of cells in cambium of Tilia cordata Mill.

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    Wiesław Włoch

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the cambium of linden producing wood with short period of grain inclination change (2-4 years, the intensive reorientation of cells takes place. This is possible mainly through an intrusive growth of cell ends from one radial file entering space between tangential walls of neighboring file and through unequal periclinal divisions that occur in the "initial surface". The intrusive growth is located on the longitudinal edge of a fusiform cell close to the end, and causes deviation of cell ends in a neighbouring file from the initial surface. Unequal periclinal division divides a cell with a deviated end into two derivatives, unequal in size. The one of them, which inherits the deviated end, leaves the initial surface becoming a xylem or phloem mother cell. This means that the old end is eliminated. The intensity of intrusive growth and unequal periclinal divisions is decisive for the velocity of cambial cell reorientation. The oriented intrusive growth occurs only in the initial cells. For that reason, changes in cell-ends position do not occur within one packet of cells but are distinct between neighbouring packets.

  1. Les séries du carbonifère inférieur de la région d'Adarouch, NE du Maroc central: lithologie et biostratigraphieEarly carboniferous series of the Adarouch area, northeast central Morocco: lithology and biostratigraphy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berkhli, M.; Vachard, D.; Paicheler, J.-C.

    2001-05-01

    The early Carboniferous series of the Adarouch area (northeast central Morocco) are subdivided into three sedimentological and biostratigraphical units. The first unit, which belongs to the Late Visean zones V3bβ and V3bγ, was deposited on shallow carbonate platforms. The second unit belongs to the Late Visean zone, V3c, and incudes terrigenous deposits, such as turbidites, shales and olistostromes. The third unit belongs to the Serpukhovian stage and consists of sandstones and limestones. A new biostratigraphical analysis, which is based on foraminiferal, algae and pseudoalgae, allows an accurate dating of the units. The deposits of the zones V3bβ and V3bγ contain characteristic calcareous microfossils, such as Stacheoides sp., Pseudoendothyra sp. and Ungdarella uralica. The V3c zone (300-400 m) is shown in two oolitic beds of the Mouarhaz and Akerchi Formations, respectively, with Janischewskina sp. and Asteroarchaediscus sp. The Serpukhovian stage is characterised by the disappearance of the algae Koninckopora and the appearance of the brachiopod Titanaria. The new data from the Adarouch area confirm the Moroccan biostratigraphical scale of the Moroccan meseta.

  2. Late Ordovician pelecypod faunas from the Cincinnati, Ohio area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frey, R.C.

    1985-01-01

    The distribution of pelecypod faunas in the Late Ordovician strata exposed in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, points to a close relationship between lithofacies type and the life habits of these Ordovician bivalves. Muddy clastic shallow marine facies of Edenian, Maysvillian, and early Richmondian age support faunas dominated by endobyssate filter-feeding species, including a variety of modiomorphids and the genus Ambonychia, plus infaunal filter-feeding orthonotids, and in faunal deposit-feeding palaeotaxodonts. These pelecypod groups occur in claystones with a fauna of calymenid and asaphid trilobites, nautiloids, cyclomyan monoplacophorans, and occasionally crinoids and asterozoans. Younger Richmondian strata in the area are predominantly carbonate platform facies and support pelecypod faunas dominated by robust endobyssate and epibyssate ambonychiids, cyrtodontids, and colpomyids. These pelecypods are associated with diverse assemblage of articulate brachiopods, trepostome ectoprocts, solitary rugose corals, and mollusks in skeletal limestones representing storm-reworked thickets or ramos ectoprocts. This fundamental dichotomy in Late Ordovician pelecypod faunas is recognized not only in the Cincinnati area, but in Late Ordovician strata exposed on Manitoulin Island in Ontario and eastward into Quebec. Reconstructions of the life habits of these pelecypods demonstrates the dominance of the endobyssate mode of life in these Early Paleozoic pelecypods.

  3. Global iridium anomaly, mass extinction, and redox change at the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, K. (Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, Alberta (Canada) Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)); Attrep, M. Jr.; Orth, C.J. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States))

    1993-12-01

    Iridium abundance anomalies have been found on a global scale in the Devonian-Carboniferous (D-C) boundary interval, which records one of the largest Phanerozoic mass-extinction events, an event that devastated many groups of living organisms, such as plants, ammonoids, trilobites, conodonts, fish, foraminiferans, brachiopods, and ostracodes. At or very close to the D-C boundary, there exists a geographically widespread black-shale interval, and Ir abundances reach anomalous maxima of 0.148 ppb (Montagne Noire, France), 0.138 ppb (Alberta, Canada) 0.140 ppb (Carnic Alps, Austria), 0.156 ppb (Guangxi, China), 0.258 ppb (Guizhou, China), and 0.250 ppb (Oklahoma). The discovery of global D-C Ir anomalies argues for an impact-extinction model. However, nonchondritic ratios of Ir to other important elements and a lack of physical evidence (shocked quartz, microtektites) do not support such a scenario. The fact that all Ir abundance maxima are at sharp redox boundaries in these sections leads us to conclude that the Ir anomalies likely resulted from a sudden change in paleo-redox conditions during deposition and/or early diagenesis. 36 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

  4. Statistically significant faunal differences among Middle Ordovician age, Chickamauga Group bryozoan bioherms, central Alabama

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crow, C.J.

    1985-01-01

    Middle Ordovician age Chickamauga Group carbonates crop out along the Birmingham and Murphrees Valley anticlines in central Alabama. The macrofossil contents on exposed surfaces of seven bioherms have been counted to determine their various paleontologic characteristics. Twelve groups of organisms are present in these bioherms. Dominant organisms include bryozoans, algae, brachiopods, sponges, pelmatozoans, stromatoporoids and corals. Minor accessory fauna include predators, scavengers and grazers such as gastropods, ostracods, trilobites, cephalopods and pelecypods. Vertical and horizontal niche zonation has been detected for some of the bioherm dwelling fauna. No one bioherm of those studied exhibits all 12 groups of organisms; rather, individual bioherms display various subsets of the total diversity. Statistical treatment (G-test) of the diversity data indicates a lack of statistical homogeneity of the bioherms, both within and between localities. Between-locality population heterogeneity can be ascribed to differences in biologic responses to such gross environmental factors as water depth and clarity, and energy levels. At any one locality, gross aspects of the paleoenvironments are assumed to have been more uniform. Significant differences among bioherms at any one locality may have resulted from patchy distribution of species populations, differential preservation and other factors.

  5. Patterns in bioclastic accumulation through the Phanerozoic: Changes in input or in destruction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidwell, Susan M.; Brenchley, Patrick J.

    1994-12-01

    Evolutionary changes in the ecology and diversity of organisms that produce and destroy calcareous skeletons suggest that bioclastic concentrations themselves might have changed in nature through the Phanerozoic. Empirical data from marine siliciclastic records of Ordovician-Silurian, Jurassic, and Neogene ages indicate a significant increase in the thickness of densely packed bioclastic concentrations over geologic time, from a primarily thin-bedded brachiopod-dominated record in the Ordovician-Silurian to a mollusk-dominated record with many more and thicker shell beds in the Neogene. Jurassic shell beds vary in thickness with the Paleozoic or modern affinities of the chief constituents, suggesting, along with other evidence, that the Phanerozoic increase was determined neither by diagenesis nor by a shift in taphonomic conditions on the sea floor but rather by the evolution of bioclast producers, namely, groups with (1) more durable low-organic skeletons, (2) greater ecological success in high-energy habitats, and (3) on the basis of indirect evidence, higher rates of carbonate production. These results suggest that (1) reproductive and metabolic output has increased in benthic communities over time and (2) the scale of time averaging in benthic assemblages has increased owing to greater hard-part durability of modern groups.

  6. THE TRIASSIC/JURASSIC BOUNDARY IN THE ANDES OF ARGENTINA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALBERTO C. RICCARDI

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available The Arroyo Malo Formation at Alumbre Creek, on the northern bank of the Atuel River, west central Argentina, comprises a c. 300 m thick continuous marine succession across the Triassic-Jurassic System boundary, consisting of massive and laminated pelites indicative of a slope depositional environment. Late Triassic invertebrates, including ammonoids, nautiloids, bivalves, gastropods, brachiopods and corals are restricted to the lower 150 m. Beds between 125-135 m from the bottom yield Choristoceras cf. marshi Hauer, a species found in the Marshi/Crickmayi Zone of Europe and North America, together with loose fragments of Psiloceras cf. pressum Hillebrandt, coeval with the lower to middle part of the Hettangian Planorbis Zone. About 80 m higher are beds yielding Psiloceras cf. rectocostatum Hillebrandt, a species that gives name to an Andean biozone partially coeval with the Johnstoni and Plicatulum Subzones, upper Planorbis Zone. Other fossils recorded in the Rhaetian strata of this section are foraminifers, ostracods and plant remains identified as Zuberia cf. zuberi (Szaj. Freng. and Clathropteris sp. The section was also sampled for conodonts and radiolarians, thus far with negative results. A palaeomagnetic study is underway.

  7. Transcriptome analysis elucidates key developmental components of bryozoan lophophore development

    KAUST Repository

    Wong, Yue Him

    2014-10-10

    The most recent phylogenomic study suggested that Bryozoa (Ectoprocta), Brachiopoda, and Phoronida are monophyletic, implying that the lophophore of bryozoans, phoronids and brachiopods is a synapomorphy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the lophophore development of the Lophophorata clade can therefore provide us a new insight into the formation of the diverse morphological traits in metazoans. In the present study, we profiled the transcriptome of the Bryozoan (Ectoproct) Bugula neritina during the swimming larval stage (SW) and the early (4 h) and late (24 h) metamorphic stages using the Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. Various genes that function in development, the immune response and neurogenesis showed differential expression levels during metamorphosis. In situ hybridization of 23 genes that participate in the Wnt, BMP, Notch, and Hedgehog signaling pathways revealed their regulatory roles in the development of the lophophore and the ancestrula digestive tract. Our findings support the hypothesis that developmental precursors of the lophophore and the ancestrula digestive tract are pre-patterned by the differential expression of key developmental genes according to their fate. This study provides a foundation to better understand the developmental divergence and/or convergence among developmental precursors of the lophophore of bryozoans, branchiopods and phoronids.

  8. Anoxia, toxic metals and acidification: volcanically-driven causes of the Middle Permian (Capitanian) mass extinction in NW Pangaea?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, David; Grasby, Stephen; Wignall, Paul

    2017-04-01

    The controversial Capitanian (Middle Permian, 262 Ma) mass extinction, mostly known from equatorial latitudes, has recently been identified in a Boreal setting in Spitsbergen. We now document this extinction in the record of brachiopods from the Sverdrup Basin in NW Pangaea (Ellesmere Island, Canada), confirming Middle Permian losses as a global crisis on par with the "Big Five". Redox proxies (pyrite framboids and trace metals) show that the high latitude crisis coincided with an intensification of oxygen-poor conditions - a potent killer that is not clearly developed in lower latitude sections. Mercury becomes briefly enriched in strata at the level of the Middle Permian extinction level in Spitsbergen and Ellesmere Island, indicating voluminous but short-lived volcanism that is likely to have been the emplacement of the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP) in SW China. A potent cocktail of poisons appears to have impacted across the Boreal Realm, whilst the near-total loss of carbonates near the extinction level is also consistent with reduced pH across the region. Multiple stresses, possibly with origins in low-latitude LIP volcanism, are therefore implicated in the Middle Permian extinction and there was no respite even in the far-distant Boreal Realm.

  9. Bioerosion and encrustation: Evidences from the Middle ‒ Upper Jurassic of central Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Hedeny, Magdy; El-Sabbagh, Ahmed; Al Farraj, Saleh

    2017-10-01

    The Middle ‒ Upper Jurassic hard substrates of central Saudi Arabia displayed considerable signs of bioerosion and encrustations. They include organic (oysters, other bivalves, gastropods, corals and brachiopods) and an inorganic carbonate hardground that marks the boundary between the Middle Jurassic Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone and the Upper Jurassic Hanifa Formation. Traces of bioerosion in organic substrates include seven ichnotaxa produced by bivalves (Gastrochaenolites Leymerie, 1842), polychaete annelids (Trypanites Mägdefrau, 1932; MaeandropolydoraVoigt, 1965 and CaulostrepsisClarke, 1908), sponges (Entobia Bronn, 1837), acrothoracican cirripedes (Rogerella Saint-Seine, 1951), gastropods (Oichnus Bromley, 1981) and probable ?Centrichnus cf. eccentricus. The encrusting epifauna on these substrates consist of several organisms, including oysters, serpulid worms, corals and foraminifera. In contrast, the carbonate hardground was only bioeroded by Gastrochaenolite, Trypanites and Entobia. Epibionts on this hardground include ;Liostrea Douvillé, 1904-type; oysters, Nanogyra nana Sowerby, 1822 and serpulids. In general, bioerosion and encrustation are less diversified in hardground than in organic substrates, indicating a long time of exposition of organic substrates with slow to moderate rate of deposition in a restricted marine environment. Both organic and inorganic commuinities are correlated with those of other equatorial, subtropical and temperate equivalents.

  10. Higher plants as biomonitors of radionuclides in urban air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ajtic, J.; Todorovic, D.; Popovic, D.; Nikolic, J.

    2011-01-01

    Two deciduous tree genera, linden (Tilia tomentosa L. and Tilia cordata Mill.) and chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), are analysed as biomonitors of 210 Pb and 7 Be in air. In a multi year study (2002 - 2009), conducted in three city parks in Belgrade, the content of 210 Pb and 7 Be in samples of leaves of linden and chestnut trees, and aerosols was determined on an HPGe detector by standard gamma spectrometry. The differences seen in the radionuclides' activities across the measurement sites and between the tree genera are not significant, suggesting that the micro climate, level of air pollution and physiological characteristics of the trees have a negligible effect on the radionuclides' activities in leaves. Linear Pearson's correlation coefficients are used to correlate the 210 Pb and 7 Be activities in aerosols and in leaves. The results show that linden could be used as a 210 Pb biomonitor which provides information on the recent history of exposure. No large positive correlation is found for the 7 Be activities in leaves and aerosols, indicating that higher plants are not a suitable biomonitor for this radionuclide. [sr

  11. A review of the South Pacific Manota Williston (Diptera, Mycetophilidae), with the description of thirteen new species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurina, Olavi; Hippa, Heikki

    2015-09-22

    The genus Manota is found to consist of 37 species in the South Pacific region. The following 13 species are described as new: M. acris sp. n. (Papua New Guinea (PNG)), M. alulata sp. n. (PNG), M. apentachaeta sp. n. (PNG), M. clivicola sp. n. (PNG), M. cordata sp. n. (PNG), M. feminea sp. n. (PNG), M. kaindiensis sp. n. (PNG), M. lunata sp. n. (PNG), M. nimia sp. n. (Solomon Is.), M. pentachaeta sp. n. (PNG), M. siciliculata sp. n. (PNG), M. sigma sp. n. (PNG) and M. unisetata sp. n. (Solomon Is.). New records of the following 11 species are presented: M. bicuspis Hippa, 2007 (PNG, Solomon Is.), M. biunculata Hippa, 2007 (PNG), M. evexa Hippa, 2007 (PNG), M. explicans Hippa, 2007 (PNG), M. hamulata Colless, 1966 (PNG), M. pacifica Edwards, 1928 (Samoa), M. parilis Hippa, 2007 (PNG, Vanuatu), M. perissochaeta Hippa, 2007 (PNG), M. serawei Hippa, 2007 (PNG), M. spathula Hippa, 2007 (PNG) and M. subspathula Hippa, 2007 (Australia). The latter is the first described species of Manota recorded from continental Australia. A redescription of M. pacifica Edwards, 1928 is given.

  12. Foliar uptake of 137Cs from the water column by aquatic macrophytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, M.S.; Pinder, J.E. III

    1996-01-01

    A transplant experiment was performed to determine the relative importances of root uptake from the sediments and foliar uptake from the water column in determining the accumulation of 137 Cs by aquatic macrophytes. Uncontaminated individuals of three species, Brasenia schreberi, Nymphaea odorata and Nymphoides cordata, were transplanted into pots containing either contaminated sediments (i.e. 1.2 Bq 137 Cs g -1 dry mass) or uncontaminated sediments (i.e. -1 dry mass) and immersed in Pond B, a former reactor cooling pond where 137 Cs concentrations in surface waters range from 0.4 to 0.8 Bq liter -1 . The plants is uncontaminated sediments rapidly accumulated 137 Cs from the water column and after 35 days of immersion had 137 Cs concentrations in leaves that were: (1) not statistically significantly different from those for plants in contaminated sediments; and (2) similar to those for the same species growing naturally in Pond B. The similarity in 137 Cs concentrations between naturally-occurring plants and those in pots with uncontaminated sediments suggests that foliar uptake from the water column is the principal mode of Cs accumulation by these species in Pond B. (author)

  13. An Outbreak of Human Fascioliasis gigantica in Southwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ai, Lin; Xu, Xue-Nian; Jiao, Jian-Ming; Zhu, Ting-Jun; Su, Hui-Yong; Zang, Wei; Luo, Jia-Jun; Guo, Yun-Hai; Lv, Shan; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

    2013-01-01

    Fascioliasis is a common parasitic disease in livestock in China. However, human fascioliasis is rarely reported in the country. Here we describe an outbreak of human fascioliasis in Yunnan province. We reviewed the complete clinical records of 29 patients and performed an epidemiological investigation on the general human population and animals in the outbreak locality. Our findings support an outbreak due to Fasciola gigantica with a peak in late November, 2011. The most common symptoms were remittent fever, epigastric tenderness, and hepatalgia. Eosinophilia and tunnel-like lesions in ultrasound imaging in the liver were also commonly seen. Significant improvement of patients’ condition was achieved by administration of triclabendazole®. Fasciola spp. were discovered in local cattle (28.6%) and goats (26.0%). Molecular evidence showed a coexistence of F. gigantica and F. hepatica. However, all eggs seen in humans were confirmed to be F. gigantica. Herb (Houttuynia cordata) was most likely the source of infections. Our findings indicate that human fascioliasis is a neglected disease in China. The distribution of triclabendazole®, the only efficacious drug against human fascioliasis, should be promoted. PMID:23951181

  14. Regulation of defensive function on gingival epithelial cells can prevent periodontal disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujita, Tsuyoshi; Yoshimoto, Tetsuya; Kajiya, Mikihito; Ouhara, Kazuhisa; Matsuda, Shinji; Takemura, Tasuku; Akutagawa, Keiichi; Takeda, Katsuhiro; Mizuno, Noriyoshi; Kurihara, Hidemi

    2018-05-01

    Periodontal disease is a bacterial biofilm-associated inflammatory disease that has been implicated in many systemic diseases. A new preventive method for periodontal disease needs to be developed in order to promote the health of the elderly in a super-aged society. The gingival epithelium plays an important role as a mechanical barrier against bacterial invasion and a part of the innate immune response to infectious inflammation in periodontal tissue. The disorganization of cell-cell interactions and subsequent inflammation contribute to the initiation of periodontal disease. These make us consider that regulation of host defensive functions, epithelial barrier and neutrophil activity, may become novel preventive methods for periodontal inflammation. Based on this concept, we have found that several agents regulate the barrier function of gingival epithelial cells and suppress the accumulation of neutrophils in the gingival epithelium. We herein introduce the actions of irsogladine maleate, azithromycin, amphotericin B, and Houttuynia cordata (dokudami in Japanese), which is commonly used in traditional medicine, on the epithelial barrier and neutrophil migration in gingival epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro , in order to provide support for the clinical application of these agents to the prevention of periodontal inflammation.

  15. Tree Species Identity Shapes Earthworm Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Schelfhout

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Earthworms are key organisms in forest ecosystems because they incorporate organic material into the soil and affect the activity of other soil organisms. Here, we investigated how tree species affect earthworm communities via litter and soil characteristics. In a 36-year old common garden experiment, replicated six times over Denmark, six tree species were planted in blocks: sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus, beech (Fagus sylvatica, ash (Fraxinus excelsior, Norway spruce (Picea abies, pedunculate oak (Quercus robur and lime (Tilia cordata. We studied the chemical characteristics of soil and foliar litter, and determined the forest floor turnover rate and the density and biomass of the earthworm species occurring in the stands. Tree species significantly affected earthworm communities via leaf litter and/or soil characteristics. Anecic earthworms were abundant under Fraxinus, Acer and Tilia, which is related to calcium-rich litter and low soil acidification. Epigeic earthworms were indifferent to calcium content in leaf litter and were shown to be mainly related to soil moisture content and litter C:P ratios. Almost no earthworms were found in Picea stands, likely because of the combined effects of recalcitrant litter, low pH and low soil moisture content.

  16. Notes on the nesting biology of five species of Euglossini (Hymenoptera: Apidae in the Brazilian Amazon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Carvalho-Filho

    2017-04-01

    Resumo. As abelhas-da-orquídea (Euglossini possuem tamanho médio a grande, corpo parcialmente ou completamente metálico e são relativamente comuns na região Neotropical. Apesar disso, a biologia de nidificação da maioria das espécies permanece desconhecida. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo e fornecer novas informações sobre a biologia de nidificação de cinco espécies de Euglossini encontradas em área urbana e florestada da Amazônia Brasileira. Os ninhos de Eufriesea pulchra (Smithe Euglossa chalybeata Frieseforam registrados pela primeira vez, encontrados dentro de ninho de formiga Azteca sp. e em uma árvore apodrecida caída, respectivamente. O ninho de Euglossa townsendiCockerell foi registrado pela primeira vez em uma folha da planta ornamental Cordyline sp. (Asparagaceae. Euglossa intersecta Latreillefoi registrada nidificando dentro de um ninho abandonado de cupim e Euglossa cordata (Linnaeusfoi encontrada nidificando em uma maçaneta tubular de metal de uma janela.

  17. Energetic evaluation of indigenous tree and shrub species in Basilicata, Southern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todaro L

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available An evaluation of energetic characteristics such as high calorific value (on ash-free dry weight basis, ash, carbon, nitrogen, and moisture content of 12 indigenous tree and shrub species of Southern Italy (Basilicata Region was carried out. The studied species are the most abundant in this area: Quercus cerris L., Quercus pubescens Willd., Fraxinus ornus L., Populus canescens (Aiton Smith, Salix alba L., Alnus cordata L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Olea europaea L., Spartium junceum L., Rubus hirtus W., Onopordum illirium L., Arundo donax L. For Q. cerris, Q. pubescens and O. europaea L., the energetic characteristics were measured by separating the wood components from the leaves. Q. cerris leaves contained the greatest high calorific value. F. ornus leaves had a greater ash content than the other samples while the lowest values were measured for S. junceum, Q. pubescens and R. pseudoacacia. The highest content of Carbon was in O. europaea leaves. A. donax and O. illirium had the lower level of high calorific value and Carbon than all the other species. The highest Nitrogen content was measured in Q. cerris leaves and the lowest one in F. ornus wood components.

  18. Floral visitors of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae in a remnant of the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrúcio Alexandre Fonseca Rios J

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the floral visitors and potential pollinators of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae, a bromeliad endemic to the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest. Reproductively-active individuals were observed systematically and their visitors were recorded and determined. The main recorded fl oral visitors were Glaucis hirsutus, Phaethornis ruber and Phaethornis pretrei (hummingbirds which executed frontal functional floral visits in which they touched the parts of the fl owers. Visits of Plebeia flavocincta, Plebeia sp., Trigona spinipes and Euglossa cordata (bees and Talides sergestu and Strymon ziba (butterflies were also recorded. In addition, two ants (Hymenoptera, Insecta, Formicidae were identifi ed in activity on the fl oral scapes and flowers of the studied bromeliad. The suggestion is made in the study that the A. constantinii is pollinated by hummingbirds since these birds executed direct frontal visits to the fl owers, touching reproductive structures. The identification of pollen on the bodies of bees and butterflies, as well as the contact executed by visitors, with the stigma of the visited flowers, offered an indication that these species may exert an influence as secondary pollinators of Aechmea constantinii.

  19. Trap-nesting bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea in areas of dry semideciduous forest and caatinga, Bahia, Brazil Abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea que nidificam em ninhos-armadilha em áreas de floresta semi-decídua e caatinga, Bahia, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cândida M. L. Aguiar

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study were examined the species richness and seasonal abundance of cavity-nesting bees in areas of dry semi-deciduous forest and caatinga in the State of Bahia, Brazil. Sampling was done employing two types of trap-nests: bamboo canes and tubes made of black cardboard with dimensions of either 58 x 6 mm or 105 x 8 mm. The traps were inspected once a month. One hundred and forty-six nests of 11 bee species were collected in the forest, and 121 nests of seven species were collected in the caatinga. Five species of cleptoparasitic bees were also reared from these nests. The highest nesting frequencies occurred in the wet season in both areas. Nests parasitism was important only for Centris tarsata Smith, 1874, and was higher at the caatinga site than in the forest. The mortality of pre-emergent adults was high, especially in C. tarsata,Tetrapedia diversipes Klug, 1810 and Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758. Information on the number of cells per nest, the size, shape, and arrangement of brood cells in the nests, as well as the number of adults produced and the number of generations per year are also presented. Species richness, temporal patterns of nesting, and percentage of parasitism were compared with other habitats.Neste estudo foram investigadas a riqueza de espécies e a abundância sazonal de abelhas que nidificam em cavidades em áreas de Floresta estacional semi-decídua e Caatinga na Bahia. A amostragem foi realizada com dois tipos de ninhos-armadilha (= N.A.: gomos de bambu e tubos de cartolina preta (58 x 6 mm e 105 x 8 mm. Os N.A. foram inspecionados uma vez por mês. Foram coletados 146 ninhos de 11 espécies de abelhas na floresta e 121 ninhos de sete espécies na caatinga. Além disso, cinco espécies de abelhas cleptoparasitas foram criadas a partir destes ninhos. As freqüências de nidificação mais altas ocorreram na estação úmida em ambas as áreas. Parasitismo de ninhos foi importante apenas para Centris tarsata

  20. The late Middle Devonian fauna of Red Hill I, Nevada, and its paleobiogeographic implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H.-P. Schultze

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The fauna of the Middle Devonian Red Hill I locality, Nevada, is unusual in the co-occurrence of a rich fish assemblage with a rich invertebrate one. Sponges are second in abundance of specimens and number of species only to the fishes and occur together with other invertebrates (conodonts, conulariids, dacryoconarid tentaculites, gastropods, bivalves, brachiopods, arthropods, and unidentifiable ammonoids and echinoderms. The invertebrates indicate a marine depositional paleoenvironment. The conodonts indicate a placement within the lower disparalis Zone, late Givetian. The fish assemblage is dominated by the antiarch Asterolepis. All the other fishes, acanthodians, actinopterygians and sarcopterygians, are less common. The closest biogeographic relationship of the fish fauna is with the Middle/Late Devonian fish fauna of the Baltic Region, followed by that of eastern Canada (Miguasha, Scotland and Iran. This distribution corresponds to the Devonian Euramerica faunal province with connection to eastern Gondwana (Iran and Australia. Localities with the same genera as Red Hill I are interpreted as marine with the exception of the Scottish localities. Asterolepis is the most widely distributed vertebrate genus, mostly marine, but it may be able to enter freshwater like Eusthenopteron if one accepts a freshwater depositional paleoenvironment for the Scottish localities. doi:10.1002/mmng.201000001

  1. Amelioration and reforestation of sulfurous mine soils in Lusatia (eastern Germany)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katzur, J.; Haubold-Rosar, M.

    1996-01-01

    In Germany nearly 1.550 km 2 have been claimed by brown coal mining until now. Mine soils formed of carboniferous and sulfurous overburden are classified as sulfurous mine soils. They remain vegetation-free for decades and may be cultivated only after soil amelioration. The objective of amelioration is a sustained improvement of soil reaction. Lime requirement for the achievement of a certain pH-value is calculated from acid-base-balance (SBB). Lime fertilizers and base-rich brown coal ashes are used for amelioration. As ashes have several advantages, their application is recommended. The ameliorative application of lime fertilizer or brown coal ash should be incorporated intensively into the soil to a depth of 60 cm, better 100 cm. Amelioration includes a mineral fertilization with N, P and K. Afforestation with Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra, Larix decidua, Larix eurolepis. Tilia cordata, Quercus rubra and Quercus petraea on ameliorated mine soils show surprising good results. Multi-species stands have very positive effects on soil formation. Raw humus is formed under pine and larch, and under deciduous trees moder and mull with higher bioactivity and better development of water and nutrient balance in the topsoil are found. 55 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs

  2. Comparison analysis of volatiles from the leaves and flowers of four saururaceae species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Z.H.; Sun, Y.M.; Sun, M.

    2015-01-01

    Saururaceae (lizard's tail family) comprises three genera and four species (Saururus chinensis (Loureiro) Baillon. (SC), Gymnotheca chinensis Decne. (GC), Gymnotheca involucrata Pei. (GI) and Houttuynia cordata Thunberg. (HC)) in eastern Asia, and they extend from the most primitive to the most evolutionary levels. The purpose of this study is to examine whether and to what extent the diversity of volatiles can support the accepted evolutionary scheme in Saururaceae for the four species. Volatiles from fresh leaves and flowers of Saururaceae species from different regions were analyzed comparatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The samples studied showed differences in the volatile profiles of leaves and flowers among the species. In the leaves and flowers, concentrations of all monoterpenes and oxides, all alcohols, all acids and all esters were highest in SC, lowest in HC, and the concentrations of these components for GC and GI were between those of SC and HC. Concentrations of all sesquiterpenes and oxides, all straight chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, all branched aliphatic hydrocarbons, all aldehydes, and all ketones were lowest in SC, highest in HC and the concentrations of these components for GC and GI were between those of SC and HC. The results in this study could support the accepted taxonomical scheme of four species in Saururaceae. (author)

  3. Anti-fungal and Anti-Mycobacterial activity of plants of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garza, Blanca Alicia Alanis; Arroyo, Joel López; González, Gloria González; González, Elvira Garza; González, Elvira Garza; de Torres, Noemí Waksman; Aranda, Ricardo Salazar

    2017-01-01

    Severe fungal infections, particularly those caused by Candida spp, have increased in recent decades and are associated with an extremely high rate of morbidity and mortality. Since plants are an important source of potentially bioactive compounds, in this work the antifungal activity of the methanol extracts of 10 plants (Acacia rigidula, Buddleja cordata, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Juglans nigra, Parkinsonia aculeata, Parthenium hysterophorus, Quercus canbyi, Ricinus communis, Salvia coccinea and Teucrium bicolor) were evaluated. The activity was evaluated according to the micro dilution assay described in CLSI M27-A protocol using some clinical isolates of different species of Candida (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. glabrata). All extracts showed MIC values < 31.25μg/mL against at least one of the strains used, which is very interesting because it was crude extracts. Acacia rigidula (0.93-3.75μg/mL) and Quercus canbyi (0.93-7.5μg/mL) had antifungal activity against 7 strains with MIC values <8μg/mL in all cases. Furthermore excerpts activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (strain H37rv) was evaluated. Only Salvia coccinea and Teucrium bicolor showed MIC values125μg/mL by the method of MABA.

  4. Urban climate modifies tree growth in Berlin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlhausen, Jens; Rötzer, Thomas; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Pretzsch, Hans

    2018-05-01

    Climate, e.g., air temperature and precipitation, differs strongly between urban and peripheral areas, which causes diverse life conditions for trees. In order to compare tree growth, we sampled in total 252 small-leaved lime trees ( Tilia cordata Mill) in the city of Berlin along a gradient from the city center to the surroundings. By means of increment cores, we are able to trace back their growth for the last 50 to 100 years. A general growth trend can be shown by comparing recent basal area growth with estimates from extrapolating a growth function that had been fitted with growth data from earlier years. Estimating a linear model, we show that air temperature and precipitation significantly influence tree growth within the last 20 years. Under consideration of housing density, the results reveal that higher air temperature and less precipitation led to higher growth rates in high-dense areas, but not in low-dense areas. In addition, our data reveal a significantly higher variance of the ring width index in areas with medium housing density compared to low housing density, but no temporal trend. Transferring the results to forest stands, climate change is expected to lead to higher tree growth rates.

  5. Phylogeny and evolutionary histories of Pyrus L. revealed by phylogenetic trees and networks based on data from multiple DNA sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xiaoyan; Cai, Danying; Potter, Daniel; Postman, Joseph; Liu, Jing; Teng, Yuanwen

    2014-11-01

    Reconstructing the phylogeny of Pyrus has been difficult due to the wide distribution of the genus and lack of informative data. In this study, we collected 110 accessions representing 25 Pyrus species and constructed both phylogenetic trees and phylogenetic networks based on multiple DNA sequence datasets. Phylogenetic trees based on both cpDNA and nuclear LFY2int2-N (LN) data resulted in poor resolution, especially, only five primary species were monophyletic in the LN tree. A phylogenetic network of LN suggested that reticulation caused by hybridization is one of the major evolutionary processes for Pyrus species. Polytomies of the gene trees and star-like structure of cpDNA networks suggested rapid radiation is another major evolutionary process, especially for the occidental species. Pyrus calleryana and P. regelii were the earliest diverged Pyrus species. Two North African species, P. cordata, P. spinosa and P. betulaefolia were descendent of primitive stock Pyrus species and still share some common molecular characters. Southwestern China, where a large number of P. pashia populations are found, is probably the most important diversification center of Pyrus. More accessions and nuclear genes are needed for further understanding the evolutionary histories of Pyrus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Antileishmanial, toxicity, and phytochemical evaluation of medicinal plants collected from Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Naseer Ali; Khan, Muhammad Rashid; Nadhman, Akhtar

    2014-01-01

    Leishmaniasis is an important parasitic problem and is in focus for development of new drugs all over the world. Objective of the present study was to evaluate phytochemical, toxicity, and antileishmanial potential of Jurinea dolomiaea, Asparagus gracilis, Sida cordata, and Stellaria media collected from different areas of Pakistan. Dry powder of plants was extracted with crude methanol and fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water solvents in escalating polarity order. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of different class of compounds, that is, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, phlobatannins, flavonoids, phenolics, and tannins, was tested. Its appearance was observed varying with polarity of solvent used for fractionation. Antileishmanial activity was performed against Leishmania tropica KWH23 promastigote. Potent antileishmanial activity was observed for J. dolomiaea methanol extract (IC50 = 10.9 ± 1.1 μ g/mL) in comparison to other plant extracts. However, J. dolomiaea "ethyl acetate fraction" was more active (IC50 = 5.3 ± 0.2 μ g/mL) against Leishmania tropica KWH23 among all plant fractions as well as standard Glucantime drug (6.0 ± 0.1 μ g/mL). All the plants extract and its derived fraction exhibited toxicity in safety range (LC50 > 100) in brine shrimp toxicity evaluation assay.

  7. Synanthropization of dendroflora near main roads in Białystok (NE Poland

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    Łaska Grażyna

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to analyze the species composition of the dendroflora near four main roads in the city of Białystok, taking into regard their geographical and historical origin. The wildlife inventory was conducted in the vegetation season of 2011. The inventory revealed presence of a total of 837 trees and bushes representing 36 species and 18 families. The most abundant trees were those from the family Aceraceae (63.8%, while the most abundant bushes were those representing Rosaceae (48.9%. The contribution of native species (65.7% was found to be about twice as high as that of alien ones (34.3%. The dominant species among the native trees was Acer platanoides L., while the principal bush species was Crataegus monogyna Jacq. The alien tree species were most commonly represented by Acer negundo L., and bushes - by Ligustrum vulgare L. Spontaneously settled trees and bushes were clearly dominant (59.9% over those originating from plantations (40.1%. Among the native species of local origin, the prevailing species were synanthropic spontaneophytes (52%, including Acer platanoides and Tilia cordata Mill. Anthropophytes were more abundantly represented by diaphytes (22.7%, followed by kenophytes (10.4%. The most abundant species among diaphytes was Ligustrum vulgare, and among kenophytes - Acer negundo.

  8. Evaluation of radiocesium concentrations in new leaves of wild plants two years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Yuki; Shibata, Michihiro; Ogata, Yoshimune; Ozawa, Hajime; Kanasashi, Tsutomu; Takenaka, Chisato

    2016-08-01

    Radiocesium ((137)Cs) transfer to plants immediately after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident was investigated by collecting newly emerged leaf and soil samples between May 2011 and November 2012 from 20 sites in the Fukushima prefecture. Radiocesium concentrations in leaf and soil samples were measured to calculate concentration ratios (CR). Woody plants exhibited high CR values because (137)Cs deposited on stems and/or leaves were transferred to newly emerging tissues. The CR values in 2012 declined as compared to that in 2011. Exchangeable (137)Cs rates in soil (extraction rate) samples were measured at five sites. These rates decreased at four sites in 2012 and depended on environmental conditions and soil type. Both CR values and extraction rates decreased in 2012. However, CR values reflected the changes in extraction rates and characteristics of each species. Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Polygonaceae, which had been identified as Cs accumulators, presented no clear (137)Cs accumulation ability. In 2012, the perennial plant Houttuynia cordata and deciduous trees Chengiopanax sciadophylloides and Acer crataegifolium displayed high CR values, indicating that these species are (137)Cs accumulators and may be considered as potential species for phytoremediation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Scanning electron microscopy of male terminalia and its application to species recognition and phylogenetic reconstruction in the Drosophila saltans group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Tiago Alves Jorge; Noll, Fernando Barbosa; Bicudo, Hermione Elly Melara de Campos; Madi-Ravazzi, Lilian

    2014-01-01

    The Drosophila saltans group consists of five subgroups and 21 species, most of which have been identified only by morphological aspects of the male terminalia revealed by drawings using a camera lucida and a bright-field microscope. However, several species in the group, mainly those included in the saltans subgroup, are difficult to differentiate using only these characteristics. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze 19 structures of the male terminalia in 10 species from the five saltans subgroups. Among these structures, nine could be identified only through SEM analysis. We aimed to find other characteristics useful for morphological recognition of these species and to use these characteristics for phylogenetic reconstruction. These morphological differences enabled us to effectively distinguish among sibling species. These findings confirmed the monophyly of this group as previously determined in evolutionary studies based on other markers. The single most parsimonious tree (CI = 87 and RI = 90) indicated that the cordata subgroup is the most basal lineage and the saltans subgroup is the most apical lineage, as shown in earlier studies based on morphological data. However, our findings differed somewhat from these studies with respect to the phylogenetic relationships of species in the saltans group indicating that this group is still a puzzle that remains to be deciphered.

  10. Floral visitors of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae in a remnant of the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest doi: 10.5007/2175-7925.2010v23n4p29

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrúcio Alexandre Fonseca Rios

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the fl oral visitors and potential pollinators of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae, a bromeliad endemic to the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest. Reproductively-active individuals were observed systematically and their visitors were recorded and determined. The main recorded fl oral visitors were Glaucis hirsutus, Phaethornis ruber and Phaethornis pretrei (hummingbirds which executed frontal functional fl oral visits in which they touched the reproductive parts of the fl owers. Visits of Plebeia fl avocincta, Plebeia sp., Trigona spinipes and Euglossa cordata (bees and Talides sergestu and Strymon ziba (butterfl ies were also recorded. In addition, two ants (Hymenoptera, Insecta, Formicidae were identifi ed in activity on the fl oral scapes and fl owers of the studied bromeliad. The suggestion is made in the study that the A. constantinii is pollinated by hummingbirds since these birds executed direct frontal visits to the fl owers, touching reproductive structures. The identifi cation of pollen on the bodies of bees and butterfl ies, as well as the contact executed by visitors, with the stigma of the visited fl owers, offered an indication that these species may exert an infl uence as secondary pollinators of Aechmea constantinii.

  11. Inventário da fauna de Euglossinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae do baixo sul da Bahia, Brasil Inventory of the Euglossinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae fauna of southern Bahia, Brazil

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    Edinaldo Luz das Neves

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports the results concerning collection of Euglossinae bees in a mangrove ecosystem in Valença(13º22'08"S and 39º04'20"W, Bahia. These samples were made twice a month, for a year. The chemical baits Citronella, Eucalyptol, Eugenol, Metyl Salicylate and Vanillin attracted 1,144 specimens distributed among twelve species and two genera: Eulaema (Lepeletier, 1841 and Euglossa (Latreille, 1802. The predominam bee species was Eulaema nigrita (Lepeletier, 1841 consisting of 49.4% of the collected specimens, followed by Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758 with 44.88%, Euglossa imperialis (Cockerell, 1922 with 2.4% and Eulaema meriana flavescens (Friese, 1899 with 1.6%. Theothers species, considering sporadic visitors, Euglossa securigera (Dressler, 1982, Euglossa chalybeata (Friese, 1925, Euglossa liopoda (Dressler, 1982, Euglossa gaianii (Dressler, 1982, Euglossa townsendi (Cockerell, 1904, Euglossa truncata (Rebelo & Moure, 1995, Euglossa melanotricha (Moure, 1967 and Euglossa sapphirina (Moure, 1968 represented together only 1.8% of the total sample. The Euglossinae were more active from October to May. Eucalyptol was the most attractive bait, attracting 1,120 specimens. Methyl Salicylate attracted 17 specimens, followed by Eugenol, which attracted 04 specimens and Vanillin, which attracted 03 specimens. Citronella was not an attractive chemical.

  12. Urban climate modifies tree growth in Berlin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlhausen, Jens; Rötzer, Thomas; Biber, Peter; Uhl, Enno; Pretzsch, Hans

    2017-12-01

    Climate, e.g., air temperature and precipitation, differs strongly between urban and peripheral areas, which causes diverse life conditions for trees. In order to compare tree growth, we sampled in total 252 small-leaved lime trees (Tilia cordata Mill) in the city of Berlin along a gradient from the city center to the surroundings. By means of increment cores, we are able to trace back their growth for the last 50 to 100 years. A general growth trend can be shown by comparing recent basal area growth with estimates from extrapolating a growth function that had been fitted with growth data from earlier years. Estimating a linear model, we show that air temperature and precipitation significantly influence tree growth within the last 20 years. Under consideration of housing density, the results reveal that higher air temperature and less precipitation led to higher growth rates in high-dense areas, but not in low-dense areas. In addition, our data reveal a significantly higher variance of the ring width index in areas with medium housing density compared to low housing density, but no temporal trend. Transferring the results to forest stands, climate change is expected to lead to higher tree growth rates.

  13. Nutritional reserves of Vochysiaceae seeds: chemical diversity and potential economic uses

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    Marco A. S Mayworm

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Contents of proteins, carbohydrates and oil of seeds of 57 individuals of Vochysiaceae, involving one species of Callisthene, six of Qualea, one of Salvertia and eight of Vochysia were determined. The main nutritional reserves of Vochysiaceae seeds are proteins (20% in average and oils (21. 6%. Mean of carbohydrate contents was 5. 8%. Callisthene showed the lowest protein content (16. 9%, while Q. cordata was the species with the highest content (30% in average. The contents of ethanol soluble carbohydrates were much higher than those of water soluble carbohydrates. Oil contents lay above 20% for most species (30. 4% in V. pygmaea and V. pyramidalis seeds. The predominant fatty acids are lauric (Q. grandiflora, oleic (Qualea and Salvertia or acids with longer carbon chains (Salvertia and a group of Vochysia species. The distribution of Vochysiaceae fatty acids suggests for seeds of some species an exploitation as food sources (predominance of oleic acid, for other species an alternative to cocoa butter (high contents or predominance of stearic acid or the production of lubricants, surfactants, detergents, cosmetics and plastic (predominance of acids with C20 or C22 chains or biodiesel (predominance of monounsaturated acids. The possibility of exploitation of Vochysiaceae products in a cultivation regimen and in extractive reserves is discussed.Teores de proteínas, carboidratos solúveis e óleos de sementes de 57 indivíduos de Vochysiaceae, compreendendo uma espécie de Callisthene, seis de Qualea, uma de Salvertia e oito de Vochysia foram determinados. As principais reservas de sementes de Vochysiaceae são proteínas (20% em média e óleos (21, 6%. A média dos teores de carboidratos foi de 5, 8%. Callisthene apresentou o mais baixo teor de proteínas (16, 9%, enquanto Q. cordata foi a espécie com o mais elevado teor (30% em média. Teores de carboidratos solúveis em etanol foram muito superiores aos solúveis em água. Os teores de

  14. The fossil record, function, and possible origins of shell color patterns in Paleozoic marine invertebrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kobluk, D.R. (Univ. of Toronto, Ontario (Canada)); Mapes, R.H. (Ohio Univ., Athens (USA))

    1989-02-01

    Fossil invertebrate shells and carapaces displaying preserved original color patterns are among the rarest fossils. The fossil record of color patterns extends into the Middle Cambrian where the trilobite Anomocare displays a fan-like array of stripes on the pygidium. About 180 Paleozic genera are known with patterns, including trilobites, cephalopods, gastropods, brachiopods, bivalves, crinoids, and crustaceans. Based upon an analysis of these taxa, it appears that patterns and pigments in middle and late Paleozoic invertebrates may have served several functions such as warning displays, light screening, camouflage, or waste disposal. However, the presence of color patterns in fossil invertebrates in the early Paleozoic may have developed prior to the evolution of vision sufficiently sophisticated to see them. This suggests that camouflage and warning displays were not the original functions of color patterns, and that in the earliest Paleozoic they may not have been functional. The authors propose a hypothesis that involves three developmental phases in the evolution of invertebrate color patterns: (1) the incorporation of metabolic by-products, perhaps some pigmented and some not pigmented, into shells and carapaces as a means of disposal of dietary or metabolic wastes, (2) use of these pigments and patterns as an environmental adaptation, such as light screening, and (3) display during and following the evolution of vision in predators sufficiently sophisticated to see the patterns.

  15. Structural changes of marine communities over the Permian-Triassic transition: Ecologically assessing the end-Permian mass extinction and its aftermath

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhong-Qiang; Tong, Jinnan; Liao, Zhuo-Ting; Chen, Jing

    2010-08-01

    The Permian/Triassic (P/Tr) transition is ecologically assessed based on examining 23 shelly communities from five shallow platform, ramp and shelf basin facies Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) sections in South China. The shelly communities have undergone two major collapses coinciding with the two episodes of the end-Permian mass extinction. The first P/Tr extinction event devastated shelly communities in all types of settings to some extent. The basin communities have been more severely impacted than both platform and ramp communities. The survival faunas have rebounded more rapidly in shallow niches than in relatively deep habitats. The second P/Tr crisis destroyed the survival communities in shallow setting and had little impact on the basin communities in terms of community structures. The early Griesbachian communities are overall low-diversity and high-dominance. The governorship switch from brachiopods to bivalves in marine communities has been facilitated by two pulses of the end-Permian mass extinction and the whole takeover process took about 200 ka across the P/Tr boundary. Bivalve ecologic takeover initially occurred immediately after the first P/Tr extinction in shallow water habitats and was eventually completed in all niches after the second P/Tr event. Some post-extinction communities have the irregular rarefaction curves due to the unusual community structures rather than sampling intensities.

  16. Proposed stratotype for the base of the highest Cambrian stage at the first appearance datum of Cordylodus andresi, Lawson Cove section, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, J.F.; Ethington, Raymond L.; Evans, K.R.; Holmer, L.E.; Loch, James D.; Popov, L.E.; Repetski, J.E.; Ripperdan, R.L.; Taylor, John F.

    2006-01-01

    We propose a candidate for the Global Standard Stratotype-section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the highest stage of the Furongian Series of the Cambrian System. The section is at Lawson Cove in the Ibex area of Millard County, Utah, USA. The marker horizon is the first appearance datum (FAD) of the conodont Cordylodus andresi Viira et Sergeyeva in Kaljo et al. [Kaljo, D., Borovko, N., Heinsalu, H., Khazanovich, K., Mens, K., Popov, L., Sergeyeva, S., Sobolevskaya, R., Viira, V., 1986. The Cambrian-Ordovician boundary in the Baltic-Ladoga clint area (North Estonia and Leningrad Region, USSR). Eesti NSV Teaduste Akadeemia Toimetised. Geologia 35, 97-108]. At this section and elsewhere this horizon also is the FAD of the trilobite Eurekia apopsis (Winston et Nicholls, 1967). This conodont characterizes the base of the Cordylodus proavus Zone, which has been recognized in many parts of the world. This trilobite characterizes the base of the Eurekia apopsis Zone, which has been recognized in many parts of North America. The proposed boundary is 46.7 m above the base of the Lava Dam Member of the Notch Peak Formation at the Lawson Cove section. Brachiopods, sequence stratigraphy, and carbon-isotope geochemistry are other tools that characterize this horizon and allow it to be recognized in other areas. ?? 2006 Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS.

  17. Megabenthic assemblages in the continental shelf edge and upper slope of the Menorca Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grinyó, Jordi; Gori, Andrea; Greenacre, Michael; Requena, Susana; Canepa, Antonio; Lo Iacono, Claudio; Ambroso, Stefano; Purroy, Ariadna; Gili, Josep-Maria

    2018-03-01

    Highly diverse megabenthic assemblages dominated by passive and active suspension feeders have been recently reported in shelf edge environments of the Mediterranean Sea. Due to their frequent association with species of commercial interest, these assemblages have been heavily impacted by fishing. The vulnerability and low resilience of these assemblages, composed mainly by long-living and slow-growing species, have motivated the implementation of management measures such as the restriction of bottom trawling, and the establishment of large protected areas embracing these environments. The Menorca Channel is one of such areas recently included in the European Union Natura 2000 network. Quantitative analysis of video transects recorded at 95-360 m depth by manned submersible and remotely operated vehicles were used to characterize megabenthic assemblages and to assess their geographical and bathymetric distribution. Six different assemblages were identified, mainly segregated by substrate type and depth. Hard substrates hosted coral gardens and sponge grounds, whereas soft sediments were mainly characterized by large extensions of the crinoid Leptometra phalangium and the brachiopod Gryphus vitreus. The good preservation of most of the observed assemblages is probably related to a low bottom trawling pressure, which mainly concentrates deeper on the adjacent continental slope. Because of their biological and ecological value, management and conservation measures need to be established to preserve these benthic assemblages.

  18. Benthic biodiversity and ecological gradients in the Seno Magdalena (Puyuhuapi Fjord, Chile)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betti, F.; Bavestrello, G.; Bo, M.; Enrichetti, F.; Loi, A.; Wanderlingh, A.; Pérez-Santos, I.; Daneri, G.

    2017-11-01

    Due to its complex hydrological, geomorphological and climatic features, the Chilean fjords region is considered among the most productive areas of the world. The benthic fauna of this region accounts for more than 1600 species showing marked latitudinal biogeographic differences characterizing this as one of the most important hotspot of biodiversity of cold-temperate environments. Despite numerous studies have been conducted to depict the biological characteristics of the fjords, the present situation is strongly unbalanced towards specific taxa. Hence, this study takes into consideration a community approach, highlighting the distribution of six benthic assemblages thriving on vertical walls along the Seno Magdalena fjord (Aysen region). Underwater pictures were used to characterize the trends in abundance and diversity of the main taxa showing distinct responses to salinity and turbidity. Among the less tolerant taxa to high fresh water inputs there are encrusting algae, mainly found in the most external sites lashed by outer currents, far from the estuarine plume. The bathymetric zonation of the assemblages, instead, is characterized by a dense mussel belt in the first 10 m, within a thick layer of low-salinity, nutrient-enriched waters. Rich assemblages of sponges, brachiopods, gorgonians and scleractinians thrive in deeper, marine, clear waters. The evaluation of the ecological role of benthic species leads both to the definition of potential bioindicator taxa responding to anthropic disturbances and to the promotion of protected areas.

  19. Dolomitized bryozoan bioherms from the Lower Silurian Manitoulin Formation, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anastas, A S; Coniglo, M [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada)

    1992-06-01

    Several small, previously undescribed bioherms are present in the shallow shelf dolostones of the Manitoulin Formation at the Cabot Head and Wingfield Basin localities in the northernmost portion of the Bruce Peninsula region of southern Ontario. The bioherms, commonly associated with carbonate tempestites, range from 0.3 to 1.0 m in height and 0.9 to 2.5 m in width and are composed of bafflestones-floatstones and minor bindstones. The chief components of the bioherms are dolomitized lime mud and branching bryozoans. Bioherm building by bryozoans, although common in the ancient record, represents a great divergence from the mostly accessory frame encrusting role of bryozoans in modern environments. Minor skeletal components of the bioherms include echinoderms, rugose and tabulate corals and brachiopods. Laminar encrusting bryozoans exist in the top 10 cm of one of the bioherms. Some of the bioherms show evidence of water agitation that may be the result of current action induced by storm or tidal processes. The occurrence of the bioherms stretches the already known Llandoverian reef complex on Manitoulin Island further to the south. The reason why these bioherms did not reach sizes comparable to large Llandoverian or Wenlockian reefs and did not make the shift to coral-stromaporoid community is probably related to a complex interaction of factors such as community development, bathymetry, clasticity and salinity. 41 refs., 4 figs.

  20. Diversity of Pharmacological Properties in Chinese and European Medicinal Plants: Cytotoxicity, Antiviral and Antitrypanosomal Screening of 82 Herbal Drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Efferth

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available In an extensive screening, the antiviral, antitrypanosomal and anticancer properties of extracts from 82 plants used in traditional Chinese medicine and European phytomedicine were determined. Several promising plants that were highly effective against hepatitis B virus (HBV, bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV—a flavivirus used here as a surrogate in vitro model of hepatitis C virus, trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei brucei and several cancer cell lines were identified. Six aqueous extracts from Celosia cristata, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Houttuynia cordata, Selaginella tamariscina, Alpinia galanga and Alpinia oxyphylla showed significant antiviral effects against BVDV without toxic effects on host embryonic bovine trachea (EBTr cells, while Evodia lepta, Hedyotis diffusa and Glycyrrhiza spp. demonstrated promising activities against the HBV without toxic effects on host human hepatoblastoma cells transfected with HBV-DNA (HepG2 2.2.15 cells. Seven organic extracts from Alpinia oxyphylla, Coptis chinensis, Kadsura longipedunculata, Arctium lappa, Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng and Saposhnikovia divaricata inhibited T. b. brucei. Moreover, among fifteen water extracts that combined high antiproliferative activity (IC50 0.5–20 µg/mL and low acute in vitro toxicity (0–10% reduction in cell viability at IC50, Coptis chinensis presented the best beneficial characteristics. In conclusion, traditional herbal medicine from Europe and China still has a potential for new therapeutic targets and therapeutic applications.

  1. Assessment of potential indigenous plant species for the phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated areas of Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmud, Rezwanul; Inoue, Naoto; Kasajima, Shin-Ya; Shaheen, Riffat

    2008-01-01

    Soil and water contaminated with arsenic (As) pose a major environmental and human health problem in Bangladesh. Phytoremediation, a plant-based technology, may provide an economically viable solution for remediating the As-polluted sites. The use of indigenous plants with a high tolerance and accumulation capacity for As may be a very convenient approach for phytoremediation. To assess the potential of native plant species for phytoremediation, plant and soil samples were collected from four As-contaminated (groundwater) districts in Bangladesh. The main criteria used for selecting plants for phytoremediation were high bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of As. From the results of a screening of 49 plant species belonging to 29 families, only one species of fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), three herbs (Blumea lacera, Mikania cordata, and Ageratum conyzoides), and two shrubs (Clerodendrum trichotomum and Ricinus communis) were found to be suitable for phytoremediation. Arsenic bioconcentration and translocation factors > 1 suggest that these plants are As-tolerant accumulators with potential use in phytoextraction. Three floating plants (Eichhornia crassipes, Spirodela polyrhiza, and Azolla pinnata) and a common wetland weed (Monochoria vaginalis) also showed high BCF and TF values; therefore, these plants may be promising candidates for cleaningup As-contaminated surface water and wetland areas. The BCF of Oryza sativa, obtained from As-contaminated districts was > 1, which highlights possible food-chain transfer issues for As-contaminated areas in Bangladesh.

  2. Ozone air pollution and foliar injury development on native plants of Switzerland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novak, Kristopher; Skelly, John M.; Schaub, Marcus; Kraeuchi, Norbert; Hug, Christian; Landolt, Werner; Bleuler, Peter

    2003-01-01

    Visible ozone-induced foliar injury on native forest species of Switzerland was identified and confirmed under ambient OTC-conditions and related to the current European AOT40 standard. - The objectives of this study were to examine the foliar sensitivity to ozone exposure of 12 tree, shrub, and herbaceous species native to southern Switzerland and determine the seasonal cumulative ozone exposures required to induce visible foliar injury. The study was conducted from the beginning of May through the end of August during 2000 and 2001 using an open-top chamber research facility located within the Lattecaldo Cantonal Forest Nursery in Canton Ticino, southern Switzerland (600 m asl). Plants were examined daily and dates of initial foliar injury were recorded in order to determine the cumulative AOT40 ppb h ozone exposure required to cause visible foliar injury. Plant responses to ozone varied significantly among species; 11 species exhibited visible symptoms typical of exposures to ambient ozone. The symptomatic species (from most to least sensitive) were Populus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Salix alba, Crataegus monogyna, Viburnum opulus, Tilia platyphyllos, Cornus alba, Prunus avium, Fraxinus excelsior, Ribes alpinum, and Tilia cordata; Clematis spp. did not show foliar symptoms. Of the 11 symptomatic species, five showed initial injury below the critical level AOT40 10 ppmh O 3 in the 2001 season

  3. Antileishmanial, Toxicity, and Phytochemical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants Collected from Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naseer Ali Shah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Leishmaniasis is an important parasitic problem and is in focus for development of new drugs all over the world. Objective of the present study was to evaluate phytochemical, toxicity, and antileishmanial potential of Jurinea dolomiaea, Asparagus gracilis, Sida cordata, and Stellaria media collected from different areas of Pakistan. Dry powder of plants was extracted with crude methanol and fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water solvents in escalating polarity order. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of different class of compounds, that is, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, phlobatannins, flavonoids, phenolics, and tannins, was tested. Its appearance was observed varying with polarity of solvent used for fractionation. Antileishmanial activity was performed against Leishmania tropica KWH23 promastigote. Potent antileishmanial activity was observed for J. dolomiaea methanol extract (IC50=10.9±1.1 μg/mL in comparison to other plant extracts. However, J. dolomiaea “ethyl acetate fraction” was more active (IC50=5.3±0.2 μg/mL against Leishmania tropica KWH23 among all plant fractions as well as standard Glucantime drug (6.0±0.1 μg/mL. All the plants extract and its derived fraction exhibited toxicity in safety range (LC50 >100 in brine shrimp toxicity evaluation assay.

  4. Reproductive biology of endemic Solanum melissarum Bohs (Solanaceae) and updating of its current geographic distribution as the basis for its conservation in the Brazilian Cerrado.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, C P; Gomes, D C; Guilherme, F A G; Souza, L F

    2017-11-01

    The genus Solanum (family Solanaceae) includes more than 1400 species and has buzz-pollinated flowers with poricidal anthers. The present study aimed to describe the distribution, breeding system and pollination mechanism of Solanum melissarum, a species endemic to Brazil. The study of breeding system was conducted in an urban forest fragment in Jataí, GO. Distribution data were gathered from floristic surveys and digital plant databases. The floral morphology and the pollination mechanism were studied on through field observations and preserved flowers. The breeding system was determined through hand pollination treatments. The species has a distribution only in the Brazilian Atlantic forest coastal, and this study provides the first records of S. melissarum for the state of Goiás. The pendulous flowers have poricidal anthers close to the stigma, with membranous thecae joined by a connective bearing osmophores that attract males of Euglossa cordata bees. As they collect fragrances, the bees press the thecae and pollen is released through a bellows mechanism. Based on the hand-pollination treatments, this species is self-incompatible. Isolated forest fragments may not include enough pollinators to ensure the pollination of plants with specialized systems. However, they are essential for the conservation of species with interesting phytogeographic patterns, such as the vicariance observed in S. melissarum, and for the conservation of regional diversity.

  5. The developmental and genetic bases of apetaly in Bocconia frutescens (Chelidonieae: Papaveraceae

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    Cristina Arango-Ocampo

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bocconia and Macleaya are the only genera of the poppy family (Papaveraceae lacking petals; however, the developmental and genetic processes underlying such evolutionary shift have not yet been studied. Results We studied floral development in two species of petal-less poppies Bocconia frutescens and Macleaya cordata as well as in the closely related petal-bearing Stylophorum diphyllum. We generated a floral transcriptome of B. frutescens to identify MADS-box ABCE floral organ identity genes expressed during early floral development. We performed phylogenetic analyses of these genes across Ranunculales as well as RT-PCR and qRT-PCR to assess loci-specific expression patterns. We found that petal-to-stamen homeosis in petal-less poppies occurs through distinct developmental pathways. Transcriptomic analyses of B. frutescens floral buds showed that homologs of all MADS-box genes are expressed except for the APETALA3-3 ortholog. Species-specific duplications of other ABCE genes in B. frutescens have resulted in functional copies with expanded expression patterns than those predicted by the model. Conclusions Petal loss in B. frutescens is likely associated with the lack of expression of AP3-3 and an expanded expression of AGAMOUS. The genetic basis of petal identity is conserved in Ranunculaceae and Papaveraceae although they have different number of AP3 paralogs and exhibit dissimilar floral groundplans.

  6. Metabolic flexibility: the key to long-term evolutionary success in Bryozoa?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peck, Lloyd S; Barnes, David K A

    2004-02-07

    Oxygen consumption (MO2) and activity were evaluated in Antarctic Bryozoa. Three species representing two different morphologies, flat sheet, laminar forms, Isoseculiflustra tenuis and Kymella polaris, and the bush form Camptoplites bicornis were used. In Bryozoa, activity is measured as the proportion of colony zooids with their lophophores extended. In I. tenuis and K. polaris, residual analysis showed that the percentage of zooids with extended lophophores was not correlated with colony MO2. Lophophore extension is, therefore, a poor measure of activity, and other costs (e.g. growth, reproduction, storage) probably form the major metabolic costs. MO2 per unit of ash-free dry mass (AFDM) in the laminar forms was low compared with other Antarctic marine invertebrates, but not lower than brachiopods and echinoderms. However, the lowest rate here, 16.8 microg O2 g AFDM(-1) h(-1) for a K. polaris colony, is (to our knowledge) the lowest for any animal so far reported. MO2 per unit of AFDM for C. bicornis, however, is among the highest reported for sessile or slow moving Antarctic marine ectotherms, with values similar to those for bivalve and gastropod molluscs. The highest rate, 527 microg O2 g AFDM(-1) h(-1) for one colony is (to our knowledge) the highest reported for polar animals of this type. Extreme diversity in metabolic strategy may explain the bryozoan long evolutionary record and great success in shallow marine environments worldwide.

  7. Comparison of two carbonate mound sequences in the Lower Ordovician El Paso Formation, west Texas and southern New Mexico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clemons, R.E.

    1985-01-01

    The El Paso Formations consists of four members, in ascending order: Hitt Canyon, Jose McKelligon and Padre. Mounds in the McKelligon Member exposed in the southern Franklin Mountains were described by Toomey (1970). Most of these mounds are small but one large one is 5.8 m thick and about 13.7 m long in outcrop. The mound rock is chiefly bioclastic wackestone with minor packstone and boundstone. The varied fauna contains echinoderms, sponges and spicules, gastropods, trilobites, digitate algae, Nuia, Girvanella, Pulchrilamina, Calathium, and minor brachiopods and cephalopods. Intraclastic, bioclastic grainstone fills channels cut in the mounds. Similar, but smaller and less spectacular mounds occur in the McKelligon Member in the Florida, Big Hatchet, and Caballo Mountains, Lone Mountain, Cooke's Range, and elsewhere in southwestern New Mexico. A second type of mound is common in the upper part of the Hitt Canyon Member in the Cooke's Range, Red Hills, Caballo and Big Hatchet Mountains. These mounds also are typically small but one in the Red Hills is 13.7 m thick and about 30 m long in outcrop. The mound complex is about 75-80% SH-C and LLH-C stromatolite boundstone and bioclastic wackestone. The remaining 20-25% is bioclastic packstone and grainstone between the SH-C stromatolites and filling channels cut in the mound complex. The limited fauna contains small fragments of echinoderms, gastropods, trilobites, spicules, and Nuia.

  8. Measuring the eyes of trilobites: a motorized goniometer for macropaleontology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cowen, R.; Cooper, J.H.

    1985-01-01

    The geometry of the trilobite visual surface is important in studies of trilobite taxonomy, paleoecology, and evolution. Unfortunately, methods for measuring visual surface features have been slow and laborious. The authors have built an apparatus which allows rapid, reliable measurement of angular relationships on the trilobite cephalon. A specimen is mounted on a set of turntables rotated by steeper motors driven by impulses from a computer terminal. As the turntables are rotated, their angular displacements from zero are automatically recorded to a repeatable accuracy of less than half a degree. Thus the angular positions of lens axes, spines, glabella, and other important features can be recorded directly into the computer for further processing and graphics display. The authors apparatus was designed to study the eyes of phacopid-trilobites, for two reasons. First, the Phacops rana group of trilobites is one of the type examples of punctuated speciation. Second, it has been suggested that phacopids had stereoscopic vision in each eye. The new apparatus will allow rapid and accurate study of suites of specimens, in order to test these hypotheses. Their new apparatus, essentially a motorized goniometer, could be used or modified to work with any specimens in which rapid goniometric measurements are useful. Such applications could include routine morphometric studies of molluscan or brachiopod shells or echinoderm tests, as well as specific projects dealing with spines, pores, plates, or septa in a wide variety of fossil invertebrates.

  9. Possible extrinsic controls on the Ordovician radiation: Stratigraphic evidence from the Great Basin, western USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Droser, M.L. (Univ. of California, Riverside, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth Sciences); Fortey, R.A. (Natural History Museum, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Palaeontology)

    1993-04-01

    The Ordovician radiation has been previously examined by looking at 1/analyses of patterns of diversification within small clades, 2/analyses of large databases to elucidate large-scale paleoecological patterns such as increased tiering and onshore-offshore shifts associated with this radiation. In order to resolve the relationships between these two scales of analysis there is critical need to examine in detail the paleoecology and possible biofacies shifts associated with the Ordovician radiation. The authors have examined the base of the Whiterock Series (Lower-Middle Ordovician) in the Great Basin as it represents one of the most complete records of the Ordovician radiation on the North American continent. Detailed field evidence suggests that the base of the Whiterock does not represent a simple faunal turnover but corresponds with the first occurrences in the region of groups that come to dominate the rest of the Paleozoic. Among the trilobites, this includes the lichides, calymenids, proetides, and phacopides. Similar patterns are found among the dominate Paleozoic bivalve, cephalopod, brachiopod and graptolite clades. Global correlation of this time interval suggests that this pattern of first broad geographic occurrences is not unique to North America. This boundary corresponds with a globally recognized sea level lowstand. In the Great Basin, significant facies shifts are present in shallow and deep water settings. While extrinsic controls are commonly reserved for extinctions, these data suggest that extrinsic factors may have been significant in the timing of the Paleozoic fauna rose to dominance.

  10. Lipid and fatty acid fractions in Lingula anatina (Brachiopoda: an intertidal benthic fauna in the West Bengal-Orissa coast, India

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    Samaresh Samanta

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To record the fractional components of lipid and polyunsaturated fatty acids of Lingula anatina (L. anatina, a Precambrian intertidal benthic brachiopod, giving emphasis on -ω series group especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA alongside assessing their biotransformation within the population and mangrove-estuarine associated community. Methods: Different biological samples after being collected from three contrasting study sites viz. SI, SII and SIII at Talsari (Longitude 87°5′ E to 88°5′ E and Latitude 20°30′ N to 22°2′ N were stored at -20 °C until analyzed. Total lipids were extracted from each sample following Bligh and Dryer method. Identification and conformation of fatty acids were done by following Ackman method. Results: On analyzing different collected samples, muscles of L. anatina exhibited the highest amount of total lipids (2.95% of which 54.03% belongs to phospholipid groups. Different body parts of studied species contained appreciable and greater amount of EPA and DHA than α-linolenic acid. Conclusions: Different collected samples exhibited variabilities in respect of total lipids and its fractional fatty acid components. The muscles of L. anatina showed maximum storage of lipids and fatty acids. Differential occurrences of EPA and DHA in different body parts of L. anatina are supposed to be due to the biotransformation process converting the α-linolenic acid from its primary food sources.

  11. The Robin, Erithacus Rubecula (Passeriformes, Turdidae, as a Component of Heterotrophic Consortia of Forest Cenoses, Northeast Ukraine. Part 2

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    Chaplygina A. B.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The role of the robin as a determinant of heterotrophic consortia is considered. The robin is a consort of determinants of autotrophic consortia, which core is represented mostly by dominating species of deciduous trees (Quercus robur Linnaeus, 1753, Tilia cordata Miller, 1768, Acer platanoides Linnaeus, 1753, Acer campestre Linnaeus, 1753, and also by sedges (Carex sp. and grasses (Poaceae, connected with the determinants by fabric links. The robin also belongs to the concentr of the second and higher orders as a component of forest biogeocenoses and it is also the main determinant in species composition of the insects inhabiting bird nests. As a result of the taxonomic analysis of invertebrates in the robin nests, it has been found out that the most numerous class was Insecta (9 orders and 27 families, with the dominance of Coleoptera (30.7 %. The nidicolous fauna of the robin (38 species was dominated by zoophages along with parasites and hematophages such as Hippoboscidae (46.4 %. The percentage of phytophages and saprophages among the invertebrate nest inhabitants was somewhat less (21 % each, then followed necrophages (12 %. Zoophages and parasites also dominated according to the number of objects in the nests (42 %; n = 150, the less was the portion of phytophages (34 %, saprophages (18 %, and necrophages (6 %. The highest number of species and objects of zoophages was recorded for climax and mature biocenoses (oak forests in NNP “HL” and pine cenoses in NNP “H””.

  12. Phenology of Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Eichhornia azurea (Pontederiaceae) in the northern region of pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Fatima R.J da; Marques, Marinez I.; Battirola, Leandro D.; Lhano, Marcos G.

    2010-01-01

    Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) has Eichhornia crassipes, E. azurea, Pontederia cordata and P. lanceolata (Pontederiaceae) as the known host plants. This grasshopper species is cited as a possible agent of biological control for native aquatic macrophytes E. azurea and E. crassipes. This study, carried out from March, 2006 to February, 2007, aimed to evaluate the phenology and age structure of the population of C. aquaticum associated with E. azurea in Piuval bay, Pantanal of Pocone, MT, and to identify possible relationships of its life cycle to abiotic factors such as insolation, temperature and precipitation. Monthly collections of 50 individuals were carried out according to the protocol defined by the - Host - Insect Coevolution on Waterhyacinth - project. Adults and nymphs were separated and the females dissected in order to evaluate ovary maturation. The population presented adults and nymphs during the whole year, suggesting the occurrence of more than one reproductive period. The nymphs from the fi rst stage predominated in August 2006 and the adults in September and October 2006, synchronized with the dry period and beginning of the flooding period, respectively. The highest relative abundance of the females with mature ovaries occurred in July 2006 (50%), indicating that this may be a more propitious period for reproduction. The data suggest that C. aquaticum is a species in continual reproduction in Piuval bay and its cycle is associated with the environmental conditions guided by the flood pulse in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. (author)

  13. Allometric biomass equations for 12 tree species in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests, Northeastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Huaijiang; Zhang, Chunyu; Zhao, Xiuhai; Fousseni, Folega; Wang, Jinsong; Dai, Haijun; Yang, Song; Zuo, Qiang

    2018-01-01

    Understanding forest carbon budget and dynamics for sustainable resource management and ecosystem functions requires quantification of above- and below-ground biomass at individual tree species and stand levels. In this study, a total of 122 trees (9-12 per species) were destructively sampled to determine above- and below-ground biomass of 12 tree species (Acer mandshuricum, Acer mono, Betula platyphylla, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, Maackia amurensis, P. koraiensis, Populus ussuriensis, Quercus mongolica, Tilia amurensis and Ulmus japonica) in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests of Northeastern China, an area of the largest natural forest in the country. Biomass allocation was examined and biomass models were developed using diameter as independent variable for individual tree species and all species combined. The results showed that the largest biomass allocation of all species combined was on stems (57.1%), followed by coarse root (21.3%), branch (18.7%), and foliage (2.9%). The log-transformed model was statistically significant for all biomass components, although predicting power was higher for species-specific models than for all species combined, general biomass models, and higher for stems, roots, above-ground biomass, and total tree biomass than for branch and foliage biomass. These findings supplement the previous studies on this forest type by additional sample trees, species and locations, and support biomass research on forest carbon budget and dynamics by management activities such as thinning and harvesting in the northeastern part of China.

  14. Phenology of Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Eichhornia azurea (Pontederiaceae) in the northern region of pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil; Fenologia de Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) em Eichhornia azurea (Pontederiaceae) no norte do pantanal de Mato Grosso

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, Fatima R.J da; Marques, Marinez I., E-mail: fateca@gmail.com.b, E-mail: marinez@ufmt.b [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiaba, MT (Brazil). Programa de Pos-graduacao em Ecologia e Conservacao da Biodiversidade; Battirola, Leandro D., E-mail: ldbattirola@uol.com.b [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Sinop, MT (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Naturais, Humanas e Sociais; Lhano, Marcos G., E-mail: marcos@ufrb.edu.b [Universidade Federal do Reconcavo da Bahia, Cruz das Almas, BA (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Agrarias, Ambientais e Biologicas

    2010-07-15

    Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) has Eichhornia crassipes, E. azurea, Pontederia cordata and P. lanceolata (Pontederiaceae) as the known host plants. This grasshopper species is cited as a possible agent of biological control for native aquatic macrophytes E. azurea and E. crassipes. This study, carried out from March, 2006 to February, 2007, aimed to evaluate the phenology and age structure of the population of C. aquaticum associated with E. azurea in Piuval bay, Pantanal of Pocone, MT, and to identify possible relationships of its life cycle to abiotic factors such as insolation, temperature and precipitation. Monthly collections of 50 individuals were carried out according to the protocol defined by the - Host - Insect Coevolution on Waterhyacinth - project. Adults and nymphs were separated and the females dissected in order to evaluate ovary maturation. The population presented adults and nymphs during the whole year, suggesting the occurrence of more than one reproductive period. The nymphs from the fi rst stage predominated in August 2006 and the adults in September and October 2006, synchronized with the dry period and beginning of the flooding period, respectively. The highest relative abundance of the females with mature ovaries occurred in July 2006 (50%), indicating that this may be a more propitious period for reproduction. The data suggest that C. aquaticum is a species in continual reproduction in Piuval bay and its cycle is associated with the environmental conditions guided by the flood pulse in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. (author)

  15. Riqueza e Abundância de Abelhas Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apidae em Parques Urbanos de Goiânia, Goiáse em parques urbanos de Goiânia, Goiás

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Grandolfo

    2013-07-01

    Abstract. Urban environments have become a refuge for many species, including some bees of the tribe Euglossini. The group includes species with large capacity flight, so they are considered important neotropical pollinators. Euglossini is scarce information about the Cerrado, incomplete information like geographic distribution, which are endemic and which are cosmopolitan. This study aimed to identify and analyze the composition of bee species of the tribe Euglossini occurring in urban parks as to abundance, richness and attractiveness through the use of scent baits. The specimens of Euglossini were collected monthly from April to August 2008 in four urban parks in Goiânia, Goiás. The bees were sampled with the aid of scent traps, exposed from 8 am to 12 noon, containing one of the essences: salicylate methyl, benzyl acetate, cineole, vanillin. We collected 147 male orchid bees belonging to three genera and five species. There was a strong dominance of individuals Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier (95.23%, followed by Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus (2.72%. The Cineol was the essence that attracted the greatest abundance of males and methyl salicylate had the highest species richness attracted. This study is the first record of species occurrence of Exaerete smaragdina (Guérin and Euglossa imperialis Cockerell for the Midwest and Euglossa variabilis Friese for the Cerrado. The preservation of all these areas will keep bee populations of wild these regions ecological importance of maintaining the service pollination of plant species.

  16. Relationships between browsing damage and the species dominance by the highly food-attractive and less food-attractive trees

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    Petr Čermák

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyses data on the browsing damage to Acer pseudoplatanus, Carpinus betulus, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia cordata and Fagus sylvatica. Field research was carried out in the period 2007–2010 and analysed data came from 33 transects at 10 localities with the various abundance of game in the CR (everywhere Capreolus capreolus, on several plots also Cervus elaphus, Ovis musimon or Dama dama. Trees were monitored up to a height of 150 cm in natural regeneration under stands and in plantations and the occurrence was noted of new browsing damage. Differences between the percentage of damaged individuals of the given species of a food-attractive species (A. p., C. b., F. e. and the percentage of damaged individuals of all tree species on a transect as well as the proportion of these parameters correlate negatively with the given species dominance and thus, they appear to be suitable parameters for the analysis of relationships between the damage intensity and dominance. The higher the percentage proportions of highly food-attractive species and the lower the percentage of less-attractive species, the lower the relative intensity of damage to highly food-attractive species. At the same time, the higher the percentage proportion of highly food-attractive species and the lower the percentage of less-attractive species then the lower a difference between damage to less food-attractive species and all species.

  17. Population dynamics of Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae in an early second-growth forest of Cajual Island, in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

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    F. S. SILVA

    Full Text Available A study was conducted in an early second-growth forest aiming at knowing the richness, relative abundance, seasonal distribution, and hourly frequency of euglossine bees, and their association with scent baits. Male bees were attracted to cineole, vanillin, methyl salicylate, and eugenol. The baits were hooked 1.5 m high and 6 m from one another. The specimens were collected from December 1997 to November 1998, once a month, from 7:00 to 17:00 h. A total of 339 male euglossine bees were caughts, accounting for 19 species and four genera. The most common species was E. cordata, making up 69.9% of the individuals, followed by E. truncata (2.3%, E. violaceifrons, and E. smaragdina (2.1%. The most attractive scent was cineole, which baited 87% of the specimens and 73.7% of the species. Vanillin, the second most visited bait, eured 7.6% of the specimens and 26.3% of the species. E. surinamensis was only collected with this bait. Methyl salicylate and eugenol baited combined 2.6% of the specimens. However, by species numbers Methyl salicylate attracted 21% whereas eugenol was attractive for 15.8% of them. In general, the species were more abundantly found in the rainy season (January-June. The hourly activity data showed that the euglossine bees were attracted to the baits all day long, but at a higher frequency in the morning period, peaking between 8:00 and 10:00 h.

  18. Population dynamics of Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae in an early second-growth forest of Cajual Island, in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SILVA F. S.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available A study was conducted in an early second-growth forest aiming at knowing the richness, relative abundance, seasonal distribution, and hourly frequency of euglossine bees, and their association with scent baits. Male bees were attracted to cineole, vanillin, methyl salicylate, and eugenol. The baits were hooked 1.5 m high and 6 m from one another. The specimens were collected from December 1997 to November 1998, once a month, from 7:00 to 17:00 h. A total of 339 male euglossine bees were caughts, accounting for 19 species and four genera. The most common species was E. cordata, making up 69.9% of the individuals, followed by E. truncata (2.3%, E. violaceifrons, and E. smaragdina (2.1%. The most attractive scent was cineole, which baited 87% of the specimens and 73.7% of the species. Vanillin, the second most visited bait, eured 7.6% of the specimens and 26.3% of the species. E. surinamensis was only collected with this bait. Methyl salicylate and eugenol baited combined 2.6% of the specimens. However, by species numbers Methyl salicylate attracted 21% whereas eugenol was attractive for 15.8% of them. In general, the species were more abundantly found in the rainy season (January-June. The hourly activity data showed that the euglossine bees were attracted to the baits all day long, but at a higher frequency in the morning period, peaking between 8:00 and 10:00 h.

  19. PENURUNAN COD, TSS DAN TOTAL FOSFAT PADA SEPTIC TANK LIMBAH MATARAM CITRA SEMBADA CATERING DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN WASTEWATER GARDEN (Degradation of COD, TSS and Total Phosphate in Septic Tank Wastewater of Mataram Citra Sembada Catering Using Wastewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dradjat Suhardjo

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAK  Sumber limbah berasal dari septictank industri restauran (catering Citra Sembada Catering, termasuk dalam kategori limbah domestik. Limbah tersebut banyak mengandung komponen yang tidak diinginkan bila dibuang ke badan air. Konsentrasi limbah yang masih di atas baku mutu, di antaranya akan memunculkan masalah pencemaran. Reaktor Wastewater Garden yang menggunakan krikil (0,5Cm-1cm dan 6 jenis tanaman yaitu : melati air (Echinodoras paleafias, Cyperus (Cyperus, Futoi (Hippochaetes lymnenalis, Pisang air (Typhonodorum indleyanum, Pickerel rush (Pontedoria cordata, Cattail (Typha latifulia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat efektivitas reaktor Wastewater Garden, apabila digunakan untuk menurunkan konsentrasi Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD, Total Suspended Solid (TSS dan Fosfat Total sebagai faktor pencemar pada limbah industri restauran (Citra Sembada Catering yang tertampung pada septictank. Penelitian dilakukan dengan menggunakan reaktor Wastewater Garden dengan sistem batch dan dimensi reaktor lm x 0.5m x lm. Zona air limbah 75 cm, dan zona substrat atau krikil 80 cm, akar tanaman ditanam sedalam l0-15 cm. Metode penelitian yang digunakan berdasarkan SNI, di mana COD mengacu pada SNI 06-6989.2-2004 metode refluks tertutup secara spektrofotometri, TSS mengacu pada SK SNI M-03-1990-F metode pengujian secara gravimetri dan Fosfat total mengacu pada SNI M-52-1990-03 metode asam askorbat dengan alat spektrofotometer. Penelitian ini dilakukan selama 12 hari di mana setiap 3 hari sampel diambil pada outlel kemudian dianalisis. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini, diperoleh bahwa penggunaan wastewater garden pada limbah cair Mataram Citra Sembada Catering dapat menurunkan COD dengan efektivitas optimum 40,81% pada hari ke-6, penurunan TSS 89,l2% pada efektifitas optirnum hari ke-12 dan penurunan fosfat total dengan efektivitas optimum pada hari ke-6 yaitu sebesar 99,73 %. Tanaman dapat hidup dengan subur.   ABSTRACT  Wastewater

  20. Euglossine bee communities in small forest fragments of the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae Comunidade de abelhas Euglossina em pequenos fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil (Hymenoptera, Apidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willian Moura de Aguiar

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Euglossine bee communities in small forest fragments of the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Euglossine bees are important pollinators in forests and agricultural areas. Although the structure of their communities is critically affected by anthropogenic disturbances, little is known about these bees in small forest fragments. The objectives of this study were to analyze the composition, abundance, and diversity of euglossine bee species in nine small fragments of different phytophysiognomies of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, and to identify the environmental variables that may be related to the species composition of these communities. Males were sampled quarterly from May 2007 to May 2009 with aromatic traps containing methyl cinnamate, vanillin, eucalyptol, benzyl acetate, and methyl salicylate. A total of 1558 males, belonging to 10 species and three genera of Euglossina were collected. The richness ranged from five to seven species per fragment. Euglossa cordata, E. securigera, Eulaema nigrita e E. cingulata were common to all fragments studied. The diversity differed significantly among areas, ranging from H' = 1.04 to H' = 1.65. The precipitation, phytophysiognomy, and altitude had the highest relative importance over the species composition variation. The results presented in this study demonstrate that small forest fragments are able to support populations of euglossine bee species, most of which are widely distributed and reportedly tolerant to open and/or disturbed areas and suggest that the conservation of such areas is important, particularly in areas that are regenerating and in regions with agricultural matrices where these bees can act as important pollinatorsComunidade de abelhas Euglossina em pequenos fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Abelhas Euglossina são importantes polinizadores nas florestas e em

  1. El Paso Formation - a Lower Ordovician platform carbonate deposit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clemons, R.E.

    1987-05-01

    The eastward-transgressive Lower Ordovician El Paso Formation conformably overlies Bliss Sandstone in southern New Mexico. Locally, lower El Paso was deposited on low hills of plutonic and volcanic rocks. The region subsided gradually throughout Canadian time, receiving the El Paso carbonate rock blanket up to 460 m thick. Lithologic and chronologic correlative rocks were deposited over most of the southwestern US as the first Paleozoic carbonate platform sequence. The El Paso Formation contains four members, listed here in ascending order: Hitt Canyon, Jose, McKelligon, and Padre. Gradually decreasing sand content upward through the Hitt Canyon indicates deepening water and/or greater distance to shore. Girvanella(.) oncolites are locally abundant. Stromatolite mounds near the top of the Hitt Canyon, combined with an influx of sand, ooids, and rounded bioclasts in the Jose Member, recorded a shoaling phase. The overlying McKelligon Member contains little or no sand, and sponge-Calathium mounds are prominent at some locales. Stromatolite mounds are interbedded with sponge-Calathium mounds in a few sections. Lower Padre Member beds are typically silty to sandy and locally contain thinly-laminated zones. The Padre contains more restricted fauna that includes traces of ostracods. Pervasive bioturbation of El Paso beds and fauna consisting of echinoderms, sponges, gastropods, trilobites, Nuia, Calathium, cephalopods, and algae plus minor brachiopods and Pulchrilamina indicate predominating shallow-subtidal environments. Low-energy platform environments, in which a large volume of micritic muds accumulated, were disturbed thousands of times by storms producing abundant thin, poorly washed biosparite, intrasparite, and intrasparrudite lenses.

  2. Depositional model for Rival and Midale subintervals (Mississippian), north-central Burke County, North Dakota

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harris, T.L.

    1988-07-01

    The Rival and Midale subintervals (Charles Formation, Upper Mississippian), north-central Burke County, North Dakota, represent two relative sea level fluctuations. Updip (northeast), the Rival subinterval contains fine to medium-bedded and chicken-wire anhydrite with interbedded algal bindstone that was deposited on supratidal flats. Basinward (southwest), the lithology changes to oncolitic, peloidal, intraclastic grainstone/packstone that was deposited in intertidal and subtidal restricted lagoonal environments. Evaporites precipitated in the sediment of the intertidal to shallow subtidal restricted lagoonal environment. Overlying the Rival subinterval is skeletal wackestone and packstone of the lower Midale subinterval. The presence of normal-marine fauna (crinoids, brachiopods, trilobites, rugose and tabulate coral) indicates a significant relative sea level transgression occurred following deposition of the Rival. The middle and upper Midale subinterval consists of intensely burrowed dolowackestone and dolomudstone that contain a less diversified faunal assemblage. Overlying the Midale carbonates is a transitional zone of calcareous shale and dolomite that grades upward into mottled (burrowed.) and finely laminated microgranular dolomite and anhydrite. The upper Midale section represents a relative sea level regression (shoreline progradation). Updip (northeast) reservoirs produce from the Midale carbonates, which are sealed laterally and vertically by calcarous shale and microgranular dolomitic anhydrite of the Midale Evaporite. Downdip (southwest), the Rival produces from porous grainstone, which is sealed laterally by intertidal/supratidal carbonates and evaporites, resulting in a stratigraphic trap. Vuggy and intergranular porosity are the major porosity types in the Rival grainstone, and moldic and intercrystalline porosity are dominant in the Midale dolowackestone.

  3. Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks of Baird Mountains Quadrangle, Alaska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dumoulin, J.A.; Harris, A.G.

    1985-04-01

    Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Baird Mountains quadrangle form a relatively thin (about 550 m), chiefly shallow-water succession that has been imbricately thrust and metamorphosed to lower greenschist facies. Middle and Upper Cambrian rocks - the first reported from the western Brooks Range - occur in the northeastern quarter of the quadrangle, south of Angayukaqsraq (formerly Hub) Mountain. They consist of marble grading upward into thin-bedded marble/dolostone couplets and contain pelagiellid mollusks, acetretid brachiopods, and agnostid trilobites. Sedimentologic features and the Pelagiellas indicate a shallow-water depositional environment. Overlying these rocks are Lower and Middle Ordovician marble and phyllite containing graptolites and conodonts of midshelf to basinal aspect. Upper Ordovician rocks in this area are bioturbated to laminated dolostone containing warm, shallow-water conodonts. In the Omar and Squirrel Rivers areas to the west, the Lower Ordovician carbonate rocks show striking differences in lithofacies, biofacies, and thickness. Here they are mainly dolostone with locally well-developed fenestral fabric and evaporite molds, and bioturbated to laminated orange- and gray-weathering dolomitic marble. Upper Silurian dolostone, found near Angayukaqsraq Mountain and on the central Squirrel River, contains locally abundant corals and stronmatoporoids. Devonian carbonate rocks are widely distributed in the Baird Mountains quadrangle; at least two distinct sequences have been identified. In the Omar area, Lower and Middle Devonian dolostone and marble are locally cherty and rich in megafossils. In the north-central (Nakolik River) area, Middle and Upper Devonian marble is interlayered with planar to cross-laminated quartz-carbonate metasandstone and phyllite.

  4. Phanerozoic trends in shell accumulations: A comparison of Ordovician-Silurian and Tertiary records

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kidwell, S.M. (Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Geophysical Sciences); Brenchley, P.J. (Univ. of Liverpool (United Kingdom). Dept. of Earth Sciences)

    1993-04-01

    Evolutionary changes in the diversity and bathymetric deployment of major benthic invertebrate groups, both those that produce and those that modify bioclasts, suggest that the nature of shell accumulations is likely to have also changed through the Phanerozoic. Specifically, it has been suggested that, excepting crinoidal deposits, the Paleozoic-Triassic record is dominated by thin shell concentrations (< few 10s cm) whereas the Cretaceous-Cenozoic record includes much thicker accumulations (> 1 m). To test this, the authors focused on siliciclastic records in two end-point periods. Using the literature on North America and Europe combined with extensive field-checking, they found that brachiopod-, trilobite-, and bryozoan-dominated accumulations in the Ord-Sil are typically thin but that there are important exceptions. In the Tertiary, thick concentrations are composed of a much larger variety of groups, occur in a wider range of environments, and exhibit a greater diversity of biostratinomic features and inferred accumulation histories. Information on the paleobathymetry, paleolatitude and tectonic setting was evaluated for all data points, and so the contrasting patterns of shell accumulation can clearly be related to differences in geologic age rather than to environmental biases in data collection. Even the analysis of only a few shell-bed features, therefore, provides strong evidence for long-term changes in the nature of the bioclastic fossil record. Work still in progress suggests that there are also long-term changes in the distribution and nature of bioclastic deposits through stratigraphic (3rd-order) sequences, particularly in the character of skeletal material associated with key surfaces.

  5. Biostratigraphy and biofacies of the Devonian deposits of the Kuh-e-Shorab section (southwest Damghan based on conodont fauna

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Hoveida

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The studied section located in the Djam-Semnan area 55 kms south west Damghan, at the vicinity of the Amrovan rail way station, in the northern flank of Shorab unassymetric anticline. The section is 440 meters thick, including limestone, dolomitic limestone and sandstone with rich fossils contents (e.g.: trilobite, coral, brachiopod, crinoid segments and vertebrate remains. The lower boundary is covered with the recent alluvial and the upper boundary disconformably overlain by the red marls and sandstones of the Permian Dorud formation. In order to determine biostratigraphy and bifacies of the deposits of Bahram formation in Shorab section, twenty five samples (4-6 kgs were collected and processed with conventional actic/formic acid. Nineteen samples were prolific and totally yielded 340 conodont elements. The extracted conodont elements mainly separated out of the carbonate units. Thirty-one species belong to four genera (Polygnathus, Icriodus, Pelecysgnathus and Ancyrodella were discriminated as: Icriodus excavatus, I. expansus, I. cedarensis, I. subterminus, I. iowaensis, I. alternatus, I. tafilaltensis, I. brevis, I. cf. expansus, I. sp., Polygnathus brevilaminus, Poly. angustidiscus, Poly. pollocki, Poly. cf. webbi, Poly. aspelundi, Poly. politus, Poly. alatus, Poly. webbi, Poly. cf. olgae, Poly. dubius, Poly. xylus, Poly. zinaidae, Poly. sp., Pelekeygnathus inclinathus, Pele. serradentatus, Pele. sp., Ancyrodella pristina, Acny. cf. pristina, Ancy. aff. binodosa, Ancy. sp. Based on the frequency and distribution of the collected elements Late Givetian to Early Famennian age were suggested to the studied interval. Conodonts biofacies (icriodid-polygnathid confirm the deposition of the Bahram formation of the Shorab section in the shallow carbonate condition.

  6. A review of phosphate mineral nucleation in biology and geobiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omelon, Sidney; Ariganello, Marianne; Bonucci, Ermanno; Grynpas, Marc; Nanci, Antonio

    2013-10-01

    Relationships between geological phosphorite deposition and biological apatite nucleation have often been overlooked. However, similarities in biological apatite and phosphorite mineralogy suggest that their chemical formation mechanisms may be similar. This review serves to draw parallels between two newly described phosphorite mineralization processes, and proposes a similar novel mechanism for biologically controlled apatite mineral nucleation. This mechanism integrates polyphosphate biochemistry with crystal nucleation theory. Recently, the roles of polyphosphates in the nucleation of marine phosphorites were discovered. Marine bacteria and diatoms have been shown to store and concentrate inorganic phosphate (Pi) as amorphous, polyphosphate granules. Subsequent release of these P reserves into the local marine environment as Pi results in biologically induced phosphorite nucleation. Pi storage and release through an intracellular polyphosphate intermediate may also occur in mineralizing oral bacteria. Polyphosphates may be associated with biologically controlled apatite nucleation within vertebrates and invertebrates. Historically, biological apatite nucleation has been attributed to either a biochemical increase in local Pi concentration or matrix-mediated apatite nucleation control. This review proposes a mechanism that integrates both theories. Intracellular and extracellular amorphous granules, rich in both calcium and phosphorus, have been observed in apatite-biomineralizing vertebrates, protists, and atremate brachiopods. These granules may represent stores of calcium-polyphosphate. Not unlike phosphorite nucleation by bacteria and diatoms, polyphosphate depolymerization to Pi would be controlled by phosphatase activity. Enzymatic polyphosphate depolymerization would increase apatite saturation to the level required for mineral nucleation, while matrix proteins would simultaneously control the progression of new biological apatite formation.

  7. Growth increments of the recent brachiopod Magellania venosa mechanically marked in Paso Comau and Comau Fjord, Chile, 2011/2012, supplement to: Baumgarten, Sebastian; Laudien, Jürgen; Jantzen, Carin; Häussermann, Verena; Försterra, Günter (2013): Population structure, growth and production of a recent brachiopod from the Chilean fjord region. Marine Ecology, 35(4), 401-413

    KAUST Repository

    Baumgarten, Sebastian; Laudien, Jü rgen; Jantzen, Carin; Hä ussermann, Verena; Fö rsterra, Gü nter

    2015-01-01

    and in the range of that for Mytilus chilensis (4.8-5.27), but lower than that of A. atra (5.74). The maximal individual production (PInd) is 0.29 g AFDM/ind/year at 42 mm shell length and annual production ranges from 1.28 to 89.25 g AFDM/year/m**2 (1

  8. Contemporary floristic changes in the Karkonosze Mts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerzy Fabiszewski

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the transformations of species composition in the main plant communities of the Karkonosze Mts. subalpine and alpine belts during the last 35 years. The investigations of floristic changes were performed in associations: Carici (rigidae-Nardetum, Carici-Festucetum supinae, Crepidi-Calamagrostietum villose and Empetro-Vaccinietum. Signalized are also some vegetation transformations in the remaining belts. The progressing floristic degradation of plant communities in the subalpine and alpine belts consists in: (a expansion of grasses, (b decline of rare vascular plants, and (c elimination of terricolous bryophytes and lichens. In spruce forest belts declining are species connected with old-growth spruce forests like: Listera cordata and Moneses uniflora. The changes of plant communities of low mountain swards (Nardetalia caused by cessation of pasture and mowing in the cause of retreat of many rare plants, like e.g., Arnica montana. The main cause of the still lasting in the Karkonosze Mts. community transformations is the changes in soil environment connected with anthropogenic nitrogen fertilization. The large inflow of mineral nitrogen from the atmosphere (1138 mg/m2 sum for vegetation season is the reason of accelerated rate of decomposition of organic matter and intensified nitrification. The high content of nitrates in soil (5 times higher than in the Tatra Mts. swards is the reason of expansion of graminoids, mainly Deschampsia flexuosa, Calamagrostis villosa and Carex bigelowii subsp. rigida. The overfertilisation of habitats causes the retreat of rare high mountain vascular plants and the decline of terricolous bryophytes and lichens.

  9. Euglossine bee communities in small forest fragments of the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willian Moura de Aguiar

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Euglossine bee communities in small forest fragments of the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Euglossine bees are important pollinators in forests and agricultural areas. Although the structure of their communities is critically affected by anthropogenic disturbances, little is known about these bees in small forest fragments. The objectives of this study were to analyze the composition, abundance, and diversity of euglossine bee species in nine small fragments of different phytophysiognomies of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, and to identify the environmental variables that may be related to the species composition of these communities. Males were sampled quarterly from May 2007 to May 2009 with aromatic traps containing methyl cinnamate, vanillin, eucalyptol, benzyl acetate, and methyl salicylate. A total of 1558 males, belonging to 10 species and three genera of Euglossina were collected. The richness ranged from five to seven species per fragment. Euglossa cordata, E. securigera, Eulaema nigrita e E. cingulata were common to all fragments studied. The diversity differed significantly among areas, ranging from H' = 1.04 to H' = 1.65. The precipitation, phytophysiognomy, and altitude had the highest relative importance over the species composition variation. The results presented in this study demonstrate that small forest fragments are able to support populations of euglossine bee species, most of which are widely distributed and reportedly tolerant to open and/or disturbed areas and suggest that the conservation of such areas is important, particularly in areas that are regenerating and in regions with agricultural matrices where these bees can act as important pollinators

  10. Prime waterfront real estate: Apple snails choose wild taro for oviposition sites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin H. KYLE, Alexis W. KROPF, Romi L. BURKS

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available While difficult to prevent introductions, scientific research can help guide control efforts of exotic, invasive species. South American island apple snails Pomacea insularum have quickly spread across the United States Gulf Coast and few control measures exist to delay their spread. Usually occupying cryptic benthic habitats, female apple snails crawl out of the water to deposit large, bright pink egg clutches on emergent objects. To help identify the most likely place to find and remove clutches, we conducted four lab experiments to investigate what specific object qualities (i.e. material; shape and height; plant species; natural and artificial attracted P. insularum females to lay clutches. In our fourth experiment, we specifically examined the relationship between female size and reproductive output. To further understand reproductive output, we quantified experimental clutch chara- cteristics (height above water, dimensions, mass, approximate volume, number of eggs, hatching efficiency. Pomacea insularum females laid more clutches on plant material, chose round over flat surfaces and failed to differentiate between tall and short structures. In comparison to a common native plant in the eastern US, Pontederia cordata, snails clearly preferred to lay clutches on a widely distributed exotic, invasive plant (wild taro, Colocasia esculenta. Unexpectedly, smaller snails showed higher overall total fecundity as well as more eggs per clutch than larger snails. Therefore, hand removal efforts of large females may not be enough to slow down clutch production. Collectively, our results indicate that conservationists and managers should search emergent plants for P. insularum clutches carefully to guard against established populations [Current Zoology 57 (5: 630–641, 2011].

  11. Early Silurian (Llandoverian) Leask Point and Charlton Bay bioherms, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mielczarek, W.; Copper, P.

    1986-08-01

    About 300 bioherms are known in the Llandoverian Manitoulin Formation of eastern Manitoulin Island. In the South Bay area, the large Leask Piont bioherm and Charlton Bay patch-reef complex lack a distinct skeletal growth framework. Bioherms consist of mudstone and wackestone, with isolated lenses of bafflestone, boundstone, floatstone. Fossils are scarce, but crinozoans and bryozoans comprise about 90% of the bioclasts. Other fauna include stromatoporoids, corals, brachiopods, gastropods, trilobites, and probable algae (algae are difficult to identify and may have played a significant role). Faunal ratios remained relatively constant during mound growth. Soft substrates with sedimentation rates of a few millimeters per year are suggested by bedding type and morphologic dominance of lamellar and tabular corals and stromatoporoids. An increased sedimentation rate, resulting from shoaling, is indicated by more overturned, broadly conical corals in the upper parts of the mounds. Shoaling may be responsible for cessation of mound growth. Lithoclasts are more common in the upper parts of the mounds. They formed when semiconsolidated muds were disturbed and redeposited during storms. Megarippled interreef surface areas, largely devoid of coral growth, indicate mud instability at Charlton Bay. Lack of suitable stable substrates may have hampered coral development. Dolomitization was postdepositional. The diagenetic sequence occurred in three stages: 1)selective pyritization and silicification, formation of an early muddy dolomite replacing the mud fraction of the dolostone, lithification and formation of rare calcite cement and neomorphic syntaxial rims; 2)clear, coarse dolomite replacing pore-filling calcite cement, syntaxial rims, and unaltered macrofossils, stylolitization, grain-to-grain dissolution; and 3)a late dolomite found mainly as fine rhombs in stylolites, solution seams, and intraskeletal pore space.

  12. Simpson-Arbuckle contact revisited in Northwest Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Allison, M.D.; Allen, R.W. [Kabodi Inc., Ardmore, OK (United States)

    1995-09-01

    The Joins Formation, the lowermost formation of the Simpson Group, is traditionally the least studied or understood of the Simpson formations. The Joins, not known to produce hydrocarbons in central Oklahoma, is frequently overlooked by those more interested in the productive Simpson formations above and the Arbuckle carbonates below. In a study of the lower Simpson to upper Arbuckle interval in northwestern Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, the Joins Formation was found to be present. The central Oklahoma section consists of interbedded gray, olive gray and green splintery moderately waxy shale, cream to light gray homogeneous microcrystallin dolomite, and microcrystalline to fine crystalline fossiliferous slightly glauconitic well cemented sandstones are also noted. The entire Joins Formation is moderately to very fossiliferous; primarily consisting of crinoids, ostracods, brachiopods, and trilobites. The ostracod fauna closely resembles and correlates with the Arbuckle Mountain section, which has been extensively studied over the years by such authors as Taff, Ulrich and Harris. Beneath the Joins in this area is a normal section of Arbuckle dolomites. Due to the absence of a basal sand in the Joins the separation of the Joins and Arbuckle, utilizing electric logs only, is frequently tenuous. In comparison with the Arbuckle, the Joins tends to have higher gamma ray and S.P. values. Other tools, such as resistivity, bulk density and photoelectric (PE), are frequently inconclusive. For geologists studying the Simpson-Arbuckle contact in central Oklahoma, the presence or absence of the Joins Formation is best determined through conventional lithologic and palenontologic sample identification techniques. Once this has been done, correlation of electric logs with this type log is possible for the local area.

  13. Geologic drivers of late ordovician faunal change in laurentia: investigating links between tectonics, speciation, and biotic invasions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David F Wright

    Full Text Available Geologic process, including tectonics and global climate change, profoundly impact the evolution of life because they have the propensity to facilitate episodes of biogeographic differentiation and influence patterns of speciation. We investigate causal links between a dramatic faunal turnover and two dominant geologic processes operating within Laurentia during the Late Ordovician: the Taconian Orogeny and GICE related global cooling. We utilize a novel approach for elucidating the relationship between biotic and geologic changes using a time-stratigraphic, species-level evolutionary framework for articulated brachiopods from North America. Phylogenetic biogeographic analyses indicate a fundamental shift in speciation mode-from a vicariance to dispersal dominated macroevolutionary regime-across the boundary between the Sandbian to Katian Stages. This boundary also corresponds to the onset of renewed intensification of tectonic activity and mountain building, the development of an upwelling zone that introduced cool, nutrient-rich waters into the epieric seas of eastern Laurentia, and the GICE isotopic excursion. The synchronicity of these dramatic geologic, oceanographic, and macroevolutionary changes supports the influence of geologic events on biological evolution. Together, the renewed tectonic activity and oceanographic changes facilitated fundamental changes in habitat structure in eastern North America that reduced opportunities for isolation and vicariance. They also facilitated regional biotic dispersal of taxa that led to the subsequent establishment of extrabasinal (=invasive species and may have led to a suppression of speciation within Laurentian faunas. Phylogenetic biogeographic analysis further indicates that the Richmondian Invasion was a multidirectional regional invasion event that involved taxa immigrating into the Cincinnati region from basins located near the continental margins and within the continental interior.

  14. Calibrating water depths of Ordovician communities: lithological and ecological controls on depositional gradients in Upper Ordovician strata of southern Ohio and north-central Kentucky, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlton E. Brett

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Limestone and shale facies of the Upper Ordovician Grant Lake Formation (Katian: Cincinnatian, Maysvillian are well exposed in the Cincinnati Arch region of southern Ohio and north-central Kentucky, USA. These rocks record a gradual change in lithofacies and biofacies along a gently northward-sloping ramp. This gradient spans very shallow, olive-gray, platy, laminated dolostones with sparse ostracodes in the south to offshore, nodular, phosphatic, brachiopod-rich limestones and marls in the north. This study uses facies analysis in outcrop to determine paleoenvironmental parameters, particularly those related to water depth (e.g., position of the photic zone and shoreline, relative degree of environmental energy. Within a tightly correlated stratigraphic interval (the Mount Auburn and Straight Creek members of the Grant Lake Formation and the Terrill Member of the Ashlock Formation, we document the occurrence of paleoenvironmental indicators, including desiccation cracks and light-depth indicators, such as red and green algal fossils and oncolites. This permitted recognition of a ramp with an average gradient of 10–20 cm water depth per horizontal kilometer. Thus, shallow subtidal (“lagoonal” deposits in the upramp portion fall within the 1.5–6 m depth range, cross-bedded grainstones representing shoal-type environments fall within the 6–18 m depth range and subtidal, shell-rich deposits in the downramp portion fall within the 20–30 m depth range. These estimates match interpretations of depth independently derived from faunal and sedimentologic evidence that previously suggested a gentle ramp gradient and contribute to ongoing and future high-resolution paleontologic and stratigraphic studies of the Cincinnati Arch region.

  15. The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland: The Upper Jurassic of Europe: its subdivision and correlation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeiss, Arnold

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available In the last 40 years, the stratigraphy of the Upper Jurassic of Europe has received much attention and considerable revision; much of the impetus behind this endeavour has stemmed from the work of the International Subcommission on Jurassic Stratigraphy. The Upper Jurassic Series consists of three stages, the Oxfordian, Kimmeridgian and Tithonian which are further subdivided into substages, zones and subzones, primarily on the basis of ammonites. Regional variations between the Mediterranean, Submediterranean and Subboreal provinces are discussed and correlation possibilities indicated. The durations of the Oxfordian, Kimmeridgian and Tithonian Stages are reported to have been 5.3, 3.4 and 6.5 Ma, respectively. This review of the present status of Upper Jurassic stratigraphy aids identification of a number of problems of subdivision and definition of Upper Jurassic stages; in particular these include correlation of the base of the Kimmeridgian and the top of the Tithonian between Submediterranean and Subboreal Europe. Although still primarily based on ammonite stratigraphy, subdivision of the Upper Jurassic is increasingly being refined by the incorporation of other fossil groups; these include both megafossils, such as aptychi, belemnites, bivalves, gastropods, brachiopods, echinoderms, corals, sponges and vertebrates, and microfossils such as foraminifera, radiolaria, ciliata, ostracodes, dinoflagellates, calcareous nannofossils, charophyaceae, dasycladaceae, spores and pollen. Important future developments will depend on the detailed integration of these disparate biostratigraphic data and their precise combination with the abundant new data from sequence stratigraphy, utilising the high degree of stratigraphic resolution offered by certain groups of fossils. This article also contains some notes on the recent results of magnetostratigraphy and sequence chronostratigraphy.

  16. EARTH’S ROTATIONAL DECELERATION: DETERMINATION OF TIDAL FRICTION INDEPENDENT OF TIMESCALES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deines, Steven D.; Williams, Carol A.

    2016-01-01

    This paper determines Earth's rotational deceleration without relying on atomic or ephemeris timescales. Earth's rotation defines the civil time standard called Universal Time (UT). Our previous paper did not examine tidal friction in depth when analyzing the timescale divergence between UT and International Atomic Time (TAI). We examine all available paleontological fossils and deposits for the direct measurements of Earth's past rotation rates, because that record includes all contributing effects. We examine paleontological reports that date Earth's rotation rate using corals, bivalves, brachiopods, rhythmites, and stromatolites. Contributions that vary Earth's moment of inertia, such as continental plate drifts, coastline changes, ice age formations, and viscous glacial rebounds, are superimposed with the secular deceleration. The average deceleration of Earth's rotation rate from all available fossil data is found to be (5.969 ± 1.762) × 10 −7 rad yr −2 . Our value is 99.8% of the total rotational deceleration determined by Christodoulidis et al., who used artificial satellite data, and our value is 96.6% of the expected tidal friction value obtained by Stephenson and Morrison. Taking the derivative of conserved angular momentum, the predicted lunar orbital deceleration caused by the average rotational deceleration corresponds closely to lunar models. When evaluating the significant time gaps between UT and TAI, Earth's rotational deceleration is a minor contributing factor. Also, the secular deceleration rate is necessary to correctly date ancient astronomical events. We strongly encourage that more ocean paleontological evidence be found to supplement the record to separate the many periodic variations embedded in these data

  17. EARTH’S ROTATIONAL DECELERATION: DETERMINATION OF TIDAL FRICTION INDEPENDENT OF TIMESCALES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deines, Steven D. [Donatech Corporation, Fairfield, IA 52556 (United States); Williams, Carol A., E-mail: steven.deines@gmail.com, E-mail: cw@math.usf.edu [Department of Mathematics and Statistics (Prof. emeritus), University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620 (United States)

    2016-04-15

    This paper determines Earth's rotational deceleration without relying on atomic or ephemeris timescales. Earth's rotation defines the civil time standard called Universal Time (UT). Our previous paper did not examine tidal friction in depth when analyzing the timescale divergence between UT and International Atomic Time (TAI). We examine all available paleontological fossils and deposits for the direct measurements of Earth's past rotation rates, because that record includes all contributing effects. We examine paleontological reports that date Earth's rotation rate using corals, bivalves, brachiopods, rhythmites, and stromatolites. Contributions that vary Earth's moment of inertia, such as continental plate drifts, coastline changes, ice age formations, and viscous glacial rebounds, are superimposed with the secular deceleration. The average deceleration of Earth's rotation rate from all available fossil data is found to be (5.969 ± 1.762) × 10{sup −7} rad yr{sup −2}. Our value is 99.8% of the total rotational deceleration determined by Christodoulidis et al., who used artificial satellite data, and our value is 96.6% of the expected tidal friction value obtained by Stephenson and Morrison. Taking the derivative of conserved angular momentum, the predicted lunar orbital deceleration caused by the average rotational deceleration corresponds closely to lunar models. When evaluating the significant time gaps between UT and TAI, Earth's rotational deceleration is a minor contributing factor. Also, the secular deceleration rate is necessary to correctly date ancient astronomical events. We strongly encourage that more ocean paleontological evidence be found to supplement the record to separate the many periodic variations embedded in these data.

  18. Temperature evolution and the oxygen isotope composition of Phanerozoic oceans from carbonate clumped isotope thermometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henkes, Gregory A.; Passey, Benjamin H.; Grossman, Ethan L.; Shenton, Brock J.; Yancey, Thomas E.; Pérez-Huerta, Alberto

    2018-05-01

    Surface temperature is among the most important parameters describing planetary climate and habitability, and yet there remains considerable debate about the temperature evolution of the Earth's oceans during the Phanerozoic Eon (541 million years ago to present), the time during which complex metazoan life radiated on Earth. Here we critically assess the emerging record of Phanerozoic ocean temperatures based on carbonate clumped isotope thermometry of fossil brachiopod and mollusk shells, and we present new data that fill important gaps in the Late Paleozoic record. We evaluate and reject the hypothesis that solid-state reordering of 13C-18O bonds has destroyed the primary clumped isotope temperature signal of most fossils during sedimentary burial at elevated temperatures. The resulting Phanerozoic record, which shows a general coupling between tropical seawater temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels since the Paleozoic, indicates that tropical temperatures during the icehouse climate of the Carboniferous period were broadly similar to present (∼25-30 °C), and suggests that benthic metazoans were able to thrive at temperatures of 35-40 °C during intervals of the early and possibly the latest Paleozoic when CO2 levels were likely 5-10× higher than present-day values. Equally important, there is no resolvable trend in seawater oxygen isotope ratios (δ18 O) over the past ∼500 million years, indicating that the average temperature of oxygen exchange between seawater and the oceanic crust has been high (∼270 °C) since at least the early Paleozoic, which points to mid-ocean ridges as the dominant locus of water-rock interaction over the past half-billion years.

  19. Using Sex Pheromone and a Multi-Scale Approach to Predict the Distribution of a Rare Saproxylic Beetle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musa, Najihah; Andersson, Klas; Burman, Joseph; Andersson, Fredrik; Hedenström, Erik; Jansson, Nicklas; Paltto, Heidi; Westerberg, Lars; Winde, Inis; Larsson, Mattias C; Bergman, Karl-Olof; Milberg, Per

    2013-01-01

    The European red click beetle, Elater ferrugineus L., is associated with wood mould in old hollow deciduous trees. As a result of severe habitat fragmentation caused by human disturbance, it is threatened throughout its distribution range. A new pheromone-based survey method, which is very efficient in detecting the species, was used in the present study to relate the occurrence of E. ferrugineus to the density of deciduous trees. The latter data were from a recently completed regional survey in SE Sweden recording >120,000 deciduous trees. The occurrence of E. ferrugineus increased with increasing amount of large hollow and large non-hollow trees in the surrounding landscape. Quercus robur (oak) was found to be the most important substrate for E. ferrugineus, whereas two groups of tree species (Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Ulmus glabra, vs. Acer platanoides, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia cordata) were less important but may be a complement to oak in sustaining populations of the beetle. The occurrence of E. ferrugineus was explained by the density of oaks at two different spatial scales, within the circle radii 327 m and 4658 m. In conclusion, priority should be given to oaks in conservation management of E. ferrugineus, and then to the deciduous trees in the genera listed above. Conservation planning at large spatial and temporal scales appears to be essential for long-term persistence of E. ferrugineus. We also show that occurrence models based on strategic sampling might result in pessimistic predictions. This study demonstrates how pheromone-based monitoring make insects excellent tools for sustained feedback to models for landscape conservation management.

  20. Using Sex Pheromone and a Multi-Scale Approach to Predict the Distribution of a Rare Saproxylic Beetle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Najihah Musa

    Full Text Available The European red click beetle, Elater ferrugineus L., is associated with wood mould in old hollow deciduous trees. As a result of severe habitat fragmentation caused by human disturbance, it is threatened throughout its distribution range. A new pheromone-based survey method, which is very efficient in detecting the species, was used in the present study to relate the occurrence of E. ferrugineus to the density of deciduous trees. The latter data were from a recently completed regional survey in SE Sweden recording >120,000 deciduous trees. The occurrence of E. ferrugineus increased with increasing amount of large hollow and large non-hollow trees in the surrounding landscape. Quercus robur (oak was found to be the most important substrate for E. ferrugineus, whereas two groups of tree species (Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Ulmus glabra, vs. Acer platanoides, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia cordata were less important but may be a complement to oak in sustaining populations of the beetle. The occurrence of E. ferrugineus was explained by the density of oaks at two different spatial scales, within the circle radii 327 m and 4658 m. In conclusion, priority should be given to oaks in conservation management of E. ferrugineus, and then to the deciduous trees in the genera listed above. Conservation planning at large spatial and temporal scales appears to be essential for long-term persistence of E. ferrugineus. We also show that occurrence models based on strategic sampling might result in pessimistic predictions. This study demonstrates how pheromone-based monitoring make insects excellent tools for sustained feedback to models for landscape conservation management.

  1. Survival and development of Lymantria monacha (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) on North American and introduced Eurasian tree species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keena, M A

    2003-02-01

    Lymantria monacha (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), the nun moth, is a Eurasian pest of conifers that has potential for accidental introduction into North America. To project the potential host range of this insect if introduced into North America, survival and development of L. monacha on 26 North American and eight introduced Eurasian tree species were examined. Seven conifer species (Abies concolor, Picea abies, P. glauca, P. pungens, Pinus sylvestris with male cones, P. menziesii variety glance, and Tsuga canadensis) and six broadleaf species (Betula populifolia, Malus x domestica, Prunus serotiaa, Quercus lobata, Q. rubra, and Q. velutina) were suitable for L. monacha survival and development. Eleven of the host species tested were rated as intermediate in suitability, four conifer species (Larix occidentalis, P. nigra, P. ponderosa, P. strobus, and Pseudotsuga menziesii variety menziesii) and six broadleaf species (Carpinus caroliniana, Carya ovata, Fagus grandifolia, Populus grandidentata, Q. alba, and Tilia cordata) and the remaining 10 species tested were rated as poor (Acer rubrum, A. platanoidies, A. saccharum, F. americana, Juniperus virginiana, Larix kaempferi, Liriodendron tulipfera, Morus alba, P. taeda, and P. deltoides). The phenological state of the trees had a major impact on establishment, survival, and development of L. monacha on many of the tree species tested. Several of the deciduous tree species that are suitable for L. monacha also are suitable for L. dispar (L.) and L. mathura Moore. Establishment of L. monacha in North America would be catastrophic because of the large number of economically important tree species on which it can survive and develop, and the ability of mated females to fly and colonize new areas.

  2. Seasonal diversity and dynamics of haptophytes in the Skagerrak, Norway, explored by high-throughput sequencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egge, Elianne Sirnæs; Johannessen, Torill Vik; Andersen, Tom; Eikrem, Wenche; Bittner, Lucie; Larsen, Aud; Sandaa, Ruth-Anne; Edvardsen, Bente

    2015-01-01

    Microalgae in the division Haptophyta play key roles in the marine ecosystem and in global biogeochemical processes. Despite their ecological importance, knowledge on seasonal dynamics, community composition and abundance at the species level is limited due to their small cell size and few morphological features visible under the light microscope. Here, we present unique data on haptophyte seasonal diversity and dynamics from two annual cycles, with the taxonomic resolution and sampling depth obtained with high-throughput sequencing. From outer Oslofjorden, S Norway, nano- and picoplanktonic samples were collected monthly for 2 years, and the haptophytes targeted by amplification of RNA/cDNA with Haptophyta-specific 18S rDNA V4 primers. We obtained 156 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), from c. 400.000 454 pyrosequencing reads, after rigorous bioinformatic filtering and clustering at 99.5%. Most OTUs represented uncultured and/or not yet 18S rDNA-sequenced species. Haptophyte OTU richness and community composition exhibited high temporal variation and significant yearly periodicity. Richness was highest in September–October (autumn) and lowest in April–May (spring). Some taxa were detected all year, such as Chrysochromulina simplex, Emiliania huxleyi and Phaeocystis cordata, whereas most calcifying coccolithophores only appeared from summer to early winter. We also revealed the seasonal dynamics of OTUs representing putative novel classes (clades HAP-3–5) or orders (clades D, E, F). Season, light and temperature accounted for 29% of the variation in OTU composition. Residual variation may be related to biotic factors, such as competition and viral infection. This study provides new, in-depth knowledge on seasonal diversity and dynamics of haptophytes in North Atlantic coastal waters. PMID:25893259

  3. Summer Epiphytic Diatoms from Terra Nova Bay and Cape Evans (Ross Sea, Antarctica) - A Synthesis and Final Conclusions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majewska, Roksana; Convey, Peter; De Stefano, Mario

    2016-01-01

    Despite recent advances in polar marine biology and related fields, many aspects of the ecological interactions that are crucial for the functioning of Antarctic shallow water habitats remain poorly understood. Although epiphytic diatoms play an essential role in the Antarctic marine food web, basic information regarding their ecology, biodiversity and biogeography is largely unavailable. Here, we synthesise studies on Ross Sea epiphytic diatoms collected during 11 summer Antarctic expeditions between the years 1989/90 and 2011/12, presenting a full list of diatom taxa associated with three macroalgal species (Iridaea cordata, Phyllophora antarctica, and Plocamium cartilagineum) and their epiphytic sessile fauna. Diatom communities found during the three summer months at various depths and sampling stations differed significantly in terms of species composition, growth form structure and abundances. Densities ranged from 21 to >8000 cells mm-2, and were significantly higher on the surface of epiphytic micro-fauna than on any of the macroalgal species examined. Generally, host organisms characterized by higher morphological heterogeneity (sessile microfauna, ramified Plocamium) supported richer diatom communities than those with more uniform surfaces (Iridaea). Differences between epiphytic communities associated with different macroalgae were reflected better in species composition than in growth form structure. The latter changed significantly with season, which was related strongly to the changing ice conditions. A general trend towards an increasing number of erect forms in deeper waters and tube-dwelling diatoms in the shallowest sites (2–5 m) was also observed. This study explores further important and largely previously unknown aspects of relationships and interactions between Antarctic epiphytic diatoms and their micro- and macro-environments. PMID:27078637

  4. An evaluation of intertidal feeding habitats from a shorebird perspective: Towards relevant comparisons between temperate and tropical mudflats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piersma, Theunis; de Goeij, Petra; Tulp, Ingrid

    Macrozoobenthic communities of intertidal soft sediments are reviewed worldwide from the perspective of a mollusc-eating shorebird species. Based on 19 sites, total biomass figures varied between 5 and 80 g AFDM per m 2 (average 24 g AFDM per m 2); no latitudinal trends are apparent. The contribution made by bivalves and gastropods varies between 1% and 99%, north-temperate intertidal flats having relatively more molluscs than tropical flats. Intertidal flats in the tropics contain a greater variety of taxa, with brachiopods in Indonesia and echinoderms in northwest Australia contributing significantly to biomass only there. Limits to the occurrence of avian predators of intertidal benthos are set by the harvestable fraction of the biomass on offer and the costs of living at a particular site. No systematic differences in the harvestable fraction of the total mollusc-biomass for a worldwide occurring shorebird species specializing on molluscs (knots Calidris canutus) were apparent between temperate and tropical intertidal areas, in spite of large differences in maintenance metabolism incurred by these birds. The harvestable fractions of bivalves in the two West African areas (Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau) tended to be high (23-84% of total biomass in six species), they were relatively low (2-52% in five species) in the temperate Wadden Sea and the tropical northwest Australian site. Harvestable biomass determines the intake rate of shorebirds, as illustrated by functional-response curves of knots feeding on two bivalves species. We argue that the collection of information on size-depth relationships along with faunal and biomass surveys at a range of sites is bound to greatly increase our understanding of both the biology of tidal-flat invertebrates and the resource base underpinning the spectacular seasonal migrations of shorebirds.

  5. Stratigraphy and petroleum possibilities of lower Upper Devonian (Frasnian and lower Framennian) strata, Southwestern Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biller, Edward J.

    1976-01-01

    The lower Upper Devonian rocks in southwestern Utah--the Guilmette Formation and equivalents--represent a final regressive pulse of the major Late Devonian marine inundation of the Western Interior of the United States and record marine carbonate deposition on a wide continental shelf. They consist primarily of limestone, dolomite, and quartz arenite deposited in a shallow north-trending miogeosyncline, which constituted a single major basin of accumulation on this shelf. The Guilmette Formation and equivalents were deposited in shallow normal to hypersaline marine waters. The environments of deposition include: a moderate- to high-energy intertidal environment, a moderate-energy subtidal environment, a lower energy, deeper subtidal environment below effective wave base, and a high-energy environment in local shallow areas of mud mounds and bioherms. The carbonate deposition of the Guilmette Formation and equivalents was interrupted periodically by the deposition of quartz arenites. These may represent the breaking up of the miogeosynclinal-cratonic pattern of deposition. In most areas, the Guilmette and equivalents are overlain by a thin transgressive marine quartz arenite deposit--the Cove Fort Quartzite and basal Leatham equivalent. Previous paleontologic evidence indicated a general Middle to Late Devonian age for the Guilmette Formation. The present study narrows this range and suggests that the age of the Guilmette Formation and its equivalents is late Middle Devonian (Stringocephalus brachiopod zone) to early Late Devonian (Uppermost Palmatolepis gigas conodont zone). Available subsurface data suggest that the petroleum possibilities of the Guilmette Formation and equivalents in southwestern Utah are poor. Several tests have penetrated .the interval with only minor shows of oil in rocks with low porosity and permeability. Nevertheless, many outcrop samples of the same interval, appear to have excellent porosity and permeability and a strongly fetid odor,

  6. The importance of Hindeodus parvus (Conodonta for the definition of the Permian-Triassic boundary and evaluation of the proposed sections for a global stratotype section and point (GSSP for the base of the Triassic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yurij D. Zakharov

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available The biostratigraphic Permian/Triassic (P/T boundary is defined by the first appearance of H. parvus. The first appearance of H. parvus within the dine H. latidentatus-H. parvus is a globally recognizable event in the conodont evolution.The first appearance of H. parvus is not facies related and can be observed both in ammonoid-free shallow-water deposits and in ammonoid-bearing pelagic deposits. H. parvus is a common, easily determinable species known so far from the entire Tethys, Japan, western North America, Boreal realm (Greenlandand the Tethyan margin of Gondwana. H. parvus is the first species withworld-wide distribution to appear after the absolute minimum in the faunal diversity indicated by the minimum in The Meishan section (South China contains a continuous, pelagic sedimentaryrecord across the P/T boundary without stratigraphie gaps. It is nearly unaltered thermally (CAI = 1-1.5. Its fossil content (ammonoids, conodonts, foraminifers,bivalves, brachiopods, sporomorphs etc. and event succession have been thoroughlystudied. Absolute age and magnetostratigraphy have also been subjected to intensive studies. The section is readily accessible and under protection of the government. This section is best suitable as a global stratotype section and point (GSSP for the base of the Triassic. No other section in the world is known tobe qualified for defining the P/T boundary in a GSSP. H. parvus made its earliest appearence in the middle part of Boundary Bed 2 (Bed 27 at Meishan. It evolved within Bed 27 from H. latidentatus within a phylomorphogenetic continuum in a continuous and monofacial stratum. The biostratigraphic P/T boundary lies very close to the event boundary (15 cm above the event boundary at the baseof Boundary Bed 1 = Bed 25, and a few centimetres above the minimum in Ô'13C in the lower Boundary Bed 2.

  7. Climate change and the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Andrew; Murphy, Eugene J; Meredith, Michael P; King, John C; Peck, Lloyd S; Barnes, David K.A; Smith, Raymond C

    2006-01-01

    The Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the fastest rates of regional climate change on Earth, resulting in the collapse of ice shelves, the retreat of glaciers and the exposure of new terrestrial habitat. In the nearby oceanic system, winter sea ice in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen seas has decreased in extent by 10% per decade, and shortened in seasonal duration. Surface waters have warmed by more than 1 K since the 1950s, and the Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has also warmed. Of the changes observed in the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) region to date, alterations in winter sea ice dynamics are the most likely to have had a direct impact on the marine fauna, principally through shifts in the extent and timing of habitat for ice-associated biota. Warming of seawater at depths below ca 100 m has yet to reach the levels that are biologically significant. Continued warming, or a change in the frequency of the flooding of CDW onto the WAP continental shelf may, however, induce sublethal effects that influence ecological interactions and hence food-web operation. The best evidence for recent changes in the ecosystem may come from organisms which record aspects of their population dynamics in their skeleton (such as molluscs or brachiopods) or where ecological interactions are preserved (such as in encrusting biota of hard substrata). In addition, a southwards shift of marine isotherms may induce a parallel migration of some taxa similar to that observed on land. The complexity of the Southern Ocean food web and the nonlinear nature of many interactions mean that predictions based on short-term studies of a small number of species are likely to be misleading. PMID:17405211

  8. Preliminary report on the Oldenburg “butter shale” in the Upper Ordovician (Katian; Richmondian Waynesville Formation, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher D. Aucoin

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The Cincinnatian Series (Upper Ordovician; upper Katian of the Cincinnati Arch region, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky contains several bed packages informally referred to as “butter shales” or “trilobite shales”. These packages are typically 1–2 m of relatively pure, homogeneous claystone with isolated, lenticular limestone beds. These claystones are most widely known for their excellent preservation of abundant trilobites, especially Isotelus and Flexicalymene, as well as diverse and commonly articulated bivalves, and nautiloids. A newly recognized butter shale interval in the Clarksville Member of the Waynesville Formation contains a typical butter-shale fossil assemblage, dominated by bivalves, orthoconic cephalopods and trilobites. To better study the fabric of this claystone, a large, epoxy-coated block of the claystone was dry-cut. Polished surfaces show a variety of otherwise cryptic features, including pervasive bioturbation and the presence of probable lingulid escape burrows (Lingulichnus, as well as abundant fodinichnia (Chondrites, Planolites, Teichichnus. Preservation of articulated trilobites and closed bivalves in approximate living position, as well as escape burrows, indicates deposition as a series of mud burial events or obrution deposits. We suggest that the butter shales resulted from net accumulation of multiple episodes of re-suspended mud deposition, which rapidly smothered organisms and resulted in exceptional preservation. Between events the seafloor was colonized by abundant deposit-feeding infaunal organisms, which destabilized the substrate and generated turbidity near the sediment–water interface, thus inhibiting sessile suspension feeders. Rapid net deposition was also interrupted by more prolonged periods (tens to hundreds of years of low sedimentation that permitted colonization by epifaunal brachiopod-dominated communities. While most butter shale units are regionally extensive, the Oldenburg is

  9. Missourian (early Late Pennsylvanian) climate in Midcontinent North America

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schutter, S.R.; Heckel, P.H.

    1985-06-01

    The abrupt decrease in mineable coals from Desmoinesian to Missourian rocks in Midcontinent North America has been related by several lines of evidence to the probability that Missourian climate became at least seasonally drier than Desmoinesian climate. This represents a transition from the equatorial Desmoinesian rainforest climate to the arid Permian climate, as North America moved northward from the equator. This change is reflected in the progression of evaporites from western Colorado in the Desmoinesian to Kansas in the Permian. Direct climatic evidence from soils in two Missourian shales deposited at low stands of sea-level includes caliche horizons, incompletely leached mixed-layer clays. Less direct climatic evidence includes the greater proportion of marine limestone deposited at intermediate sea-level stands in the Missourian than in the Desmoinesian part of the sequence, in conjunction with the greater abundance and thickness of oolite and shore-line facies in Missourian limestones than in Desmoinesian counterparts. This probably reflects increasing dryness of the climate, which would have led to decreased detrital influx and increased salinity as rainfall and runoff diminished. Indirect climatic evidence in offshore black phosphatic shales deposited at highest sea-level stands involves possible seasonality in organic and phosphatic laminations, related to periodicity of upwelling in the tropical trade-wide belt under the strong monsoonal influence of Pangaea. Mid-continent Missourian climates probably ranged from tropical monsoon to tropical savanna or hot steppe, all having wet-dry seasonality. The coincident extinctions of conodont, brachiopod, and other marine genera as well as the loss of swamp lycopods at the end of the Desmoinesian suggest the possibility that a greater than usual drop in sea level affected both realms at this time, while the climate was becoming drier. 91 references.

  10. Trilobite-based biostratigraphy (arthropoda-trilobita) and related faunas of the Cambrian from Sonora, Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuen-Romero, F. J.; Valdez-Holguín, J. E.; Buitrón-Sánchez, B. E.; Monreal, R.; Enríquez-Ocaña, L. F.; Aguirre-Hinojosa, E.; Ochoa-Granillo, J. A.; Palafox-Reyes, J. J.

    2018-04-01

    A biostratigraphic analysis based on trilobites of the main Cambrian outcrops from Sonora, Mexico is performed. The data are based on a combination of field work and published sources, including four previously studied locations from northern and eastern Sonora (Caborca, Cananea, Mazatán, and Arivechi) as well as a new location in the central part of the state of Sonora (San José de Gracia). Chronostratigraphic positions are assigned to the Cambrian outcrops according to Peng et al., 2012 and Cohen et al., 2017. In the Caborca area, the Puerto Blanco, Proveedora, Buelna, Cerro Prieto, Arrojos and El Tren formations comprise a wide range of biozones, which starts from the Fritzaspis Zone until the Glossopleura walcotti Zone (Begadean-Lincolnian Series, global Stage 3-Stage 5, Series 2-Series 3). The Bolsa Quartzite and the Abrigo Limestone exposed in Cananea area are assigned to the Cedaria/Cedarina dakotaensis Zone until the Crepicephalus Zone (Lincolnian Series-Marjuman Stage, global Series 3-Guzhangian). In the San José de Gracia area, The Proveedora, Buelna, Cerro Prieto and El Gavilán formations range from the ?Bristolia mohavensis or ?Bristolia insolens zones until the upper part of Mexicella mexicana Zone, Albertella highlandensis Subzone (Series 2-Series 3, Stage 4-Stage 5). In the Arivechi area, the La Sata, El Mogallón, La Huerta and the Milpillas formations range from Poliella denticulata Zone to the Elvinia Zone (Lincolnian-Millardan, Delamaran-Steptoean, global Series 3-Furongian, Stage 5-Paibian). Paleozoic marine fauna distribution in northwest Mexico and the southwest United States of America, suggest that during this time an extensive faunal province existed, containing a great variety of marine invertebrates with notorious intraspecific affinity. The biotic association includes poriferans, archaeocyathids, brachiopods, mollusks, arthropods and echinoderms as predominant elements.

  11. Climate change and the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Andrew; Murphy, Eugene J; Meredith, Michael P; King, John C; Peck, Lloyd S; Barnes, David K A; Smith, Raymond C

    2007-01-29

    The Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the fastest rates of regional climate change on Earth, resulting in the collapse of ice shelves, the retreat of glaciers and the exposure of new terrestrial habitat. In the nearby oceanic system, winter sea ice in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen seas has decreased in extent by 10% per decade, and shortened in seasonal duration. Surface waters have warmed by more than 1 K since the 1950s, and the Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has also warmed. Of the changes observed in the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) region to date, alterations in winter sea ice dynamics are the most likely to have had a direct impact on the marine fauna, principally through shifts in the extent and timing of habitat for ice-associated biota. Warming of seawater at depths below ca 100 m has yet to reach the levels that are biologically significant. Continued warming, or a change in the frequency of the flooding of CDW onto the WAP continental shelf may, however, induce sublethal effects that influence ecological interactions and hence food-web operation. The best evidence for recent changes in the ecosystem may come from organisms which record aspects of their population dynamics in their skeleton (such as molluscs or brachiopods) or where ecological interactions are preserved (such as in encrusting biota of hard substrata). In addition, a southwards shift of marine isotherms may induce a parallel migration of some taxa similar to that observed on land. The complexity of the Southern Ocean food web and the nonlinear nature of many interactions mean that predictions based on short-term studies of a small number of species are likely to be misleading.

  12. Importância econômica, epidemiologia e controle das intoxicações por plantas no Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clarice R.M. Pessoa

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available A importância econômica, epidemiologia e controle das intoxicações por plantas em animais domésticos no Brasil são revisadas. Com os dados dos laboratórios de diagnóstico de diferentes regiões do país, as perdas anuais por mortes de animais foram estimadas em 820.761 a 1.755.763 bovinos, 399.800 a 445.309 ovinos, 52.675 a 63.292 caprinos e 38.559 equinos. No Brasil, atualmente, o número de plantas tóxicas é de 131 espécies e 79 gêneros e aumenta permanentemente. No entanto, a maioria das perdas são causadas por poucas plantas, incluindo Palicourea marcgravii, Amorimia spp., Senecio spp., Pteridium aquilinum, Ateleia glazioviana e Cestrum laevigatum em bovinos, Brachiaria spp em bovinos e ovinos, Nierembergia veitchii, Mimosa tenuiflora e Ipomoea asarifolia em ovinos, plantas que contêm swainsonina (Ipomoea carnea, Turbina cordata e Sida carpinifolia em caprinos e Brachiaria humidicola e Crotalaria retusa em equinos. Os principais fatores epidemiológicos relacionados às intoxicações por plantas incluem palatabilidade, fome, sede, facilitação social, desconhecimento da planta, acesso a plantas tóxicas, dose tóxica, período de ingestão, variações de toxicidade e resistência/susceptibilidade dos animais às intoxicações. Quanto aos métodos de controle e profilaxia descrevem-se os resultados obtidos no Brasil com métodos recentemente desenvolvidos, incluindo controle biológico, aversão alimentar condicionada, utilização de variedades não tóxicas de forrageiras, utilização de animais resistentes às intoxicações e técnicas de indução de resistência.

  13. Virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita (L. Rusby – properties and application

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    Anna Kasprzyk

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Virginia mallow (or Virgina fanpetals belongs to the Malvaceae family and it originates from the Southeastern parts of North America. In the 20th century, the plant was brought to Europe, specifically to Ukraine, and then it was introduced in Poland (Kasprzyk et al. 2013. Virginia mallow is mainly used in industry as biomass for energy generation and as a source of fibers or forage. It is a subject of interest to many researchers due to the fact that it is a fast growing plant with a high potential yield and the ability of multiple regrowth even after cutting. Highly adaptable to different climates and soil conditions indicate a potential increase in the area occupied by the species. It can be grown on the slopes of eroded areas, land which is excluded from agricultural use, on chemically degraded areas, also on dumps and landfills of garbage. In the family Malvaceae, there are several species commonly used in medicine, such as Sida acuta Burm.f., S. cordata (Burm.f. Borss.Waalk. or S. cordifolia L. and therefore the interest in the healing properties of Virginia mallow seems natural. Recent studies have shown that there is a possibility of the use of Virginia mallow as herbal material. Studies have shown that the extracts from seeds of S. hermaphrodita (L. Rusby have caused a decrease of viability and deformation of Mycobacterium smegmatis cells (Lewtak et al. 2013. There are also studies about anticancer activity of S. hermaphodita extracts against SiHa (human cervical cancer lines. Two tests (MTT and NR uptake were used and the results showed absence of cytotoxic effect using MTT tests, and a slight cytotoxic effect using NR uptake (Frant et al. 2013.

  14. Total polyphenolic contents and in vitro antioxidant properties of eight Sida species from Western Ghats, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramanya, M D; Pai, Sandeep R; Upadhya, Vinayak; Ankad, Gireesh M; Bhagwat, Shalini S; Hegde, Harsha V

    2015-01-01

    Sida L., is a medicinally important genus, the species of which are widely used in traditional systems of medicine in India. Pharmacologically, roots are known for anti-tumor, anti-HIV, hepatoprotective, and many other properties. Phenolic antioxidants help in reducing oxidative stress occurring during treatment of such diseases. The study aimed to evaluate and compare polyphenol contents and antioxidant properties of eight selected species of Sida from Western Ghats, India. Methanolic root extracts (10% w/v) of Sida species, viz., S. acuta, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. indica, S. mysorensis, S. retusa, S. rhombifolia, and S. spinosa were analyzed. Sida cordifolia possessed highest total phenolic content (TPC: 1.92 ± 0.10 mg Caffeic Acid Equivalent/g and 2.13 ± 0.11 mg Tannic Acid Equivalant/g), total flavonoid content (TF: 2.60 ± 0.13 mg Quercetin Equivalent/g) and also possessed highest antioxidant activities in 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging (51.31 ± 2.57% Radical Scavenging Activity, (RSA); Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity: 566.25 ± 28.31μM; Ascorbic acid Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity: 477.80 ± 23.89 μM) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assays (TEAC: 590.67 ± 29.53 μM; AEAC: 600.67 ± 30.03 μM). Unlike DPPH and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) activity, 2, 2'-Azinobis (3-ethyl Benzo Thiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid) ABTS(+) antioxidant activity was highest in S. indica (TEAC: 878.44 ± 43.92 μM; AEAC 968.44 ± 48.42 μM). It was significant to note that values of AEAC (μM) for all the antioxidant activities analyzed were higher than that of TEAC. The high contents of phenolic compounds in the root extracts of selected Sida species have direct correlation with their antioxidant properties. Conclusively, roots of S. cordifolia can be considered as the potential source of polyphenols and antioxidants.

  15. A contribution to the knowledge of biology and harmfulness of Deporaus betulae (L. (Coleoptera, Attelabidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaroslav Urban

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the occurrence, development and harmfulness of Deporaus betulae (L.. The majority of field studies was carried out at Training Forest Enterprise (TFE Masaryk Forest in Křtiny (District Brno-venkov in 2010 and 2011. In addition to this, the species was studied in detail also in a laboratory. It occurred mostly on Betula pendula and Carpinus betulus. Rarely, the species was found on Alnus glutinosa and Corylus avellana and only sporadically on Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos. In the studied area, larvae and pupae hibernate. Beetles occur on trees from the end of April to the beginning of July, sporadically later. Females lay on average 2.5 (in the laboratory 4.4 eggs into rolls on B. pendula, on C. betulus 2.2 eggs. During two months, they damage on average 5.3 cm2 leaves creating 14 rolls and laying 35 eggs into the rolls. Larvae consume only 1.7 cm2 leaf blade. The development of the species takes three to four months from egg laying to the departure of larvae into soil. On leaves of B. pendula of an average area of 14.2 cm2, females roll up the same area (about 11.2 cm2 as on leaves of C. betulus of an area of 21.7 cm2. Into the rolls, they lay on average the same number of eggs. The average number of eggs in rolls increases with the increased area of B. pendula leaf blade. Trees partly compensate for the reduction of assimilatory area also by the growth of the area of neighbouring undamaged leaves (on average by 12.7 %.

  16. Seasonal diversity and dynamics of haptophytes in the Skagerrak, Norway, explored by high-throughput sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egge, Elianne Sirnaes; Johannessen, Torill Vik; Andersen, Tom; Eikrem, Wenche; Bittner, Lucie; Larsen, Aud; Sandaa, Ruth-Anne; Edvardsen, Bente

    2015-06-01

    Microalgae in the division Haptophyta play key roles in the marine ecosystem and in global biogeochemical processes. Despite their ecological importance, knowledge on seasonal dynamics, community composition and abundance at the species level is limited due to their small cell size and few morphological features visible under the light microscope. Here, we present unique data on haptophyte seasonal diversity and dynamics from two annual cycles, with the taxonomic resolution and sampling depth obtained with high-throughput sequencing. From outer Oslofjorden, S Norway, nano- and picoplanktonic samples were collected monthly for 2 years, and the haptophytes targeted by amplification of RNA/cDNA with Haptophyta-specific 18S rDNA V4 primers. We obtained 156 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), from c. 400.000 454 pyrosequencing reads, after rigorous bioinformatic filtering and clustering at 99.5%. Most OTUs represented uncultured and/or not yet 18S rDNA-sequenced species. Haptophyte OTU richness and community composition exhibited high temporal variation and significant yearly periodicity. Richness was highest in September-October (autumn) and lowest in April-May (spring). Some taxa were detected all year, such as Chrysochromulina simplex, Emiliania huxleyi and Phaeocystis cordata, whereas most calcifying coccolithophores only appeared from summer to early winter. We also revealed the seasonal dynamics of OTUs representing putative novel classes (clades HAP-3-5) or orders (clades D, E, F). Season, light and temperature accounted for 29% of the variation in OTU composition. Residual variation may be related to biotic factors, such as competition and viral infection. This study provides new, in-depth knowledge on seasonal diversity and dynamics of haptophytes in North Atlantic coastal waters. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Larval feeding behavior of the truncatus group of Thrypticus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae that breed in the aerenchyma of Pontederiaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Cristina HERNÁNDEZ

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Se da a conocer el comportamiento alimentario de las larvas de algunas especies del grupo truncatus de Thrypticus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae, que se desarrollan en plantas hospedadoras de Pontederiaceae. Los estadios inmaduros de T. circularis Bickel & Hernández se crían en los pecíolos globosos de Eichhornia crassipes (Martius Solms-Laubach (Pontederiaceae, minando cerca de la epidermis y abriendo varios orificios al exterior. La larva de T. romus Bickel & Hernández crece en E. azurea (Sw. Kunth, formando una mina curva, corta en comparación con las otras especies. La larva de T. formosensis Bickel & Hernández se desarrolla en Pontederia cordata L. (Pontederiaceae, excavando la mina entre la epidermis y la gran celda central de los pecíolos. Por último, la larva de T. taragui Bickel & Hernández se cría en tallos sumergidos de P. subovata (Seub. in Mart. Lowden, formando una mina subepidérmica con ramificaciones hacia la estela central del tallo. No se pudieron asociar las minas correspondientes a las especies T. yanayacu, T. chanophalus y T. azuricola. No se encontraron predadores ni parásitos de larvas o pupas, se observaron casos de canibalismo entre larvas cuando el trazado de dos minas confluye. Las especies del grupo truncatus poseen un modo de alimentación sumamente específico, confinadas al aerénquima, se alimentan de la savia extraída de los orificios roídos en los haces vasculares de los pecíolos y tallos, posiblemente con levaduras simbiontes como suplemento para la nutrición. Numerosas colecciones en el campo y pruebas en el laboratorio, indican que estos insectos están asociados con plantas hospedadoras específicas dentro de la misma familia. Esta especialización sugiere una larga asociación insecto-hospedadora.

  18. Tritium behaviour in aquatic plants and animals in a freshwater marsh ecosystem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, L.W.; Peterle, T.J.; White, G.C.

    1979-01-01

    Ten curies of tritium as tritiated water (HTO) were experimentally added to an enclosed 2-ha Lake Erie marsh on 20 October 1973. Tritium kinetics in selected plants and animals were determined over a one-year period. Tritium levels in the marsh bottom sediment averaged 1.8 times the marsh water levels, with little evidence of tritium concentration above the marsh water tritium levels in the flora and fauna. The unbound tritium: marsh water tritium ratios in smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium) and pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) (both emergents) were lower than the same ratio for pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) (a submergent). There was some evidence of bound tritium buildup in midsummer, particularly in the pondweed. Tritium uptake into the unbound compartments of crayfish (Procambarus blandingi), carp (Cyprinus carpio) and bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) was rapid. For crayfish, maximum HTO levels were observed on days 2 and 3 following treatment for muscle and viscera respectively. Unbound HTO in carp muscle peaked in 4 hours and the level in carp viscera reached a maximum in 2 days, in bluegill muscle and viscera on day 1. Unbound HTO in all species decreased following peak levels, paralleling marsh water HTO activity. Tritium uptake into the bound compartments was not as rapid nor were the levels as high as for unbound HTO in the fauna. The peak bound level in crayfish muscle was observed on day 10 (bound : unbound ratio of 0.34) and the maximum level in viscera was noted on day 20 (bound : unbound ratio of 0.23). Bound tritium in carp muscle and viscera reached maximum levels on day 20 (bound : unbound ratios of 0.25 and 0.39 respectively). In bluegills, peaks were reached on days 5 and 7 (bound : unbound ratios of 0.35 and 0.38 for muscle and viscera respectively). Bound tritium in all species decreased following maximum levels

  19. Linking xylem water storage with anatomical parameters in five temperate tree species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jupa, Radek; Plavcová, Lenka; Gloser, Vít; Jansen, Steven

    2016-06-01

    The release of water from storage compartments to the transpiration stream is an important functional mechanism that provides the buffering of sudden fluctuations in water potential. The ability of tissues to release water per change in water potential, referred to as hydraulic capacitance, is assumed to be associated with the anatomy of storage tissues. However, information about how specific anatomical parameters determine capacitance is limited. In this study, we measured sapwood capacitance (C) in terminal branches and roots of five temperate tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies L., Quercus robur L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Tilia cordata Mill.). Capacitance was calculated separately for water released mainly from capillary (CI; open vessels, tracheids, fibres, intercellular spaces and cracks) and elastic storage compartments (CII; living parenchyma cells), corresponding to two distinct phases of the moisture release curve. We found that C was generally higher in roots than branches, with CI being 3-11 times higher than CII Sapwood density and the ratio of dead to living xylem cells were most closely correlated with C In addition, the magnitude of CI was strongly correlated with fibre/tracheid lumen area, whereas CII was highly dependent on the thickness of axial parenchyma cell walls. Our results indicate that water released from capillary compartments predominates over water released from elastic storage in both branches and roots, suggesting the limited importance of parenchyma cells for water storage in juvenile xylem of temperate tree species. Contrary to intact organs, water released from open conduits in our small wood samples significantly increased CI at relatively high water potentials. Linking anatomical parameters with the hydraulic capacitance of a tissue contributes to a better understanding of water release mechanisms and their implications for plant hydraulics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights

  20. Canopy storage capacity and wettability of leaves and needles: The effect of water temperature changes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klamerus-Iwan, Anna; Błońska, Ewa

    2018-04-01

    The canopy storage capacity (S) is a major component of the surface water balance. We analysed the relationship between the tree canopy water storage capacity and leaf wettability under changing simulated rainfall temperature. We estimated the effect of the rain temperature change on the canopy storage capacity and contact angle of leave and needle surfaces based on two scenarios. Six dominant forest trees were analysed: English oak (Quercus roburL.), common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill), silver fir (Abies alba), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.),and Norway spruce (Picea abies L.). Twigs of these species were collected from Krynica Zdrój, that is, the Experimental Forestry unit of the University of Agriculture in Cracow (southern Poland). Experimental analyses (simulations of precipitation) were performed in a laboratory under controlled conditions. The canopy storage capacity and leaf wettability classification were determined at 12 water temperatures and a practical calculator to compute changes of S and contact angles of droplets was developed. Among all species, an increase of the rainfall temperature by 0.7 °C decreases the contact angle between leave and needle surfaces by 2.41° and increases the canopy storage capacity by 0.74 g g-1; an increase of the rain temperature by 2.7 °C decreases the contact angle by 9.29° and increases the canopy storage capacity by 2.85 g g-1. A decreased contact angle between a water droplet and leaf surface indicates increased wettability. Thus, our results show that an increased temperature increases the leaf wettability in all examined species. The comparison of different species implies that the water temperature has the strongest effect on spruce and the weakest effect on oak. These data indicate that the rainfall temperature influences the canopy storage capacity.

  1. INFLUENCIA DE COBERTURAS EN SUELO SOBRE LA SELECCIÓN DEL HOSPEDANTE POR Bemisia tabaci, EN CONDICIONES DE INVERNADERO

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    Luko Hilje

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Aunque varios tipos de coberturas en suelo (inertes o vivas pueden reducir la afluencia de adultos de B. tabaci en plantas de tomate, se desconoce el mecanismo específico de acción de cada una de ellas. Por tanto, se realizó un experimento en un invernadero en Turrialba, Costa Rica, para determinar su respuesta tanto a coberturas inertes (metal verde y plástico plateado y amarillo como vivas: maní forrajero (Arachis pintoi, Fabaceae, cinquillo (Drymaria cordata, Caryophyllaceae y culantro (Coriandrum sativum, Umbelliferae. Se les comparó con un testigo (suelo desnudo. Hubo 4 repeticiones de cada tratamiento. Cada cobertura se sembró en una maceta grande, rodeado de una plántula de tomate de 15 cm de altura. Las macetas se colocaron sobre el piso del invernadero, espaciadas 40 cm entre sí. Cada experimento se repitió en 4 días consecutivos, para lo cual los tratamientos se aleatorizaron todos los días. Se utilizó un diseño de parcelas divididas, con las coberturas como la parcela principal y las fechas como las subparcelas. La víspera de cada repetición se liberaron 1200 adultos de B. tabaci (biotipo A en el área experimental y al día siguiente se registraron sus datos tanto en la planta de tomate como en cada cobertura. Los números de adultos fueron mucho mayores (p0,05. Aunque todas interfieren con la habilidad de los adultos para localizar las plantas de tomate, el mecanismo específico de acción difirió según la naturaleza de cada una, excepto en las coberturas vivas, que parecen compartir el mismo mecanismo.

  2. Ladinian skonca beds of the Idrija Ore Deposit (W Slovenia

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    Jože Čar

    2013-12-01

    part of sequence C has a carbonate structure (subsequence C1 and the top part has a siliceous structure (subsequence C2, the rocks cannot be distinguished from one another by their appearance. All are strongly bituminous and shaly. Sequence C is comprised of grey to black bituminous dolomite and quartz sandstone rich in pyrite and marcasite, dolomite or quartz siltstone, and shaly claystone with coal inclusions. The sequence of C rocks ends with clayey-lythic quartz sandstone containing remains of the brachiopod Discina. These are followed by various pyroclastic rocks of sequence D. The Skonca beds and the rich bedded cinnabar ores have various sedimentary structures which accurately define the events and environments of their origin. Except for the erosion channels, which are filled with dolomite gravel, there are no other presedimentary structures in the Skonca beds (subsequence C1. However, the beds are rich in synsedimentary physical forms, particularly various stratifications, laminations and various forms of graded bedding. Among the postsedimentary structures, mention should be made of the abundant sinking and slump structures. In some places, bioturbation and the replacement of organic particles with pyrite can be observed. The Skonca beds were deposited in a spatially complex, marsh-lacustrine-lagoonal environment. The rocks of sequence A and partly also of sequence B were formed in an alkaline, oxygen-rich environment, and the lithological units of subsequence C1 in a reductive environment. The rapid transitions among rocks indicate strictly limited and slow lateral inflows of fresh water into the marshy environment overgrown with low vegetation. The rocks in subsequence C2 prove that the freshwater marsh was flooded with sea water. Deposited in the shallow, closed lagoon overgrown with low vegetation were various bituminous shales, mudstones and sandstones filled with numerous radiolarians and needles of siliceous sponges and coal intercalations. The

  3. A safer, urea-based in situ hybridization method improves detection of gene expression in diverse animal species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinigaglia, Chiara; Thiel, Daniel; Hejnol, Andreas; Houliston, Evelyn; Leclère, Lucas

    2018-02-01

    In situ hybridization is a widely employed technique allowing spatial visualization of gene expression in fixed specimens. It has greatly advanced our understanding of biological processes, including developmental regulation. In situ protocols are today routinely followed in numerous laboratories, and although details might change, they all include a hybridization step, where specific antisense RNA or DNA probes anneal to the target nucleic acid sequence. This step is generally carried out at high temperatures and in a denaturing solution, called hybridization buffer, commonly containing 50% (v/v) formamide - a hazardous chemical. When applied to the soft-bodied hydrozoan medusa Clytia hemisphaerica, we found that this traditional hybridization approach was not fully satisfactory, causing extensive deterioration of morphology and tissue texture which compromised our observation and interpretation of results. We thus tested alternative solutions for in situ detection of gene expression and, inspired by optimized protocols for Northern and Southern blot analysis, we substituted the 50% formamide with an equal volume of 8M urea solution in the hybridization buffer. Our new protocol not only yielded better morphologies and tissue consistency, but also notably improved the resolution of the signal, allowing more precise localization of gene expression and reducing aspecific staining associated with problematic areas. Given the improved results and reduced manipulation risks, we tested the urea protocol on other metazoans, two brachiopod species (Novocrania anomala and Terebratalia transversa) and the priapulid worm Priapulus caudatus, obtaining a similar reduction of aspecific probe binding. Overall, substitution of formamide by urea during in situ hybridization offers a safer alternative, potentially of widespread use in research, medical and teaching contexts. We encourage other workers to test this approach on their study organisms, and hope that they will also

  4. 2010 Dry and 2009 - 2010 Wet Season Branchiopod Survey Report, Site 300

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dexter, W

    2011-03-14

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) requested that Condor Country Consulting, Inc. (CCCI) perform wet season surveys and manage the dry season sampling for listed branchiopods in two ponded locations within the Site 300 Experimental Test Site. Site 300 is located in Alameda and San Joaquin Counties, located between the Cities of Livermore and Tracy. The two pool locations have been identified for possible amphibian enhancement activities in support of the Compensation Plan for impacts tied to the Building 850 soil clean-up project. The Building 850 project design resulted in formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as an amendment (File 81420-2009-F-0235) to the site-wide Biological Opinion (BO) (File 1-1-02-F-0062) in the spring of 2009 and requires mitigation for the California tiger salamander (AMCA, Ambystoma californiense) and California red-legged frog (CRLF, Rana draytonii) habitat loss. Both pools contain breeding AMCA, but do not produce metamorphs due to limited hydroperiod. The pool to the southeast (Pool BC-FS-2) is the preferred site for amphibian enhancement activities, and the wetland to northwest (Pool OA-FS-1) is the alternate location for enhancement. However, prior to enhancement, LLNL has been directed by USFWS (BO Conservation Measure 17 iii) to 'conduct USFWS protocol-level branchiopod surveys to determine whether listed brachiopod species are present within the compensation area.' CCCI conducted surveys for listed branchiopods in the 2009-2010 wet season to determine the presence of federally-listed branchiopods at the two pools (previous surveys with negative findings were performed by CCCI in 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 onsite). Surveys were conducted to partially satisfy the survey requirements of the USFWS 'Interim Survey Guidelines to Permittees for Recovery Permits under Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act for the Listed Vernal Pool Branchiopods' ('Guidelines, USFWS

  5. Stratigraphy and paleontology of Lower Permian rocks north of Cananea, northern Sonora, Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blodgett, R.B.; Moore, T.E.; Gray, F.

    2002-01-01

    Lower Permian carbonate and overlying red bed clastic rocks are present in a 2 km2 stratigraphic window in the vicinity of Rancho La Cueva, Santa Cruz sheet (scale 1:50,000), northern Sonora, Mexico. This exposure lies unconformably beneath predominantly intermediate Upper Cretaceous volcanics yielding 40Ar/39Ar ages of 73.4?? 0.18 and 71.1 ?? 0.35 Ma. The lower part of the Permian succession consists of light- to medium-gray colored limestones of the Colina Limestone, with a minimum thickness of 235 m. Sedimentary features suggest shallow water, slightly restricted depositional environments. Although lacking observable fossils for the most part, two intervals of richly fossiliferous, silicified shell beds are present near the base and top of the Colina Limestone. The lower fauna consist mostly of gastropods and bivalves. The presence of a new microdomatid gastropod species. Glyptospira sonorensis n. sp., close to Glytospira arelela Plas, suggests a late Wolfcampian age for this horizon. The upper fauna are predominantly molluscan dominated (gastropods and bivalves), but some brachiopods (productids and the rhynchonellid genus Pontisia) are also present. Gastropod genera include Bellerophon, Warthia, Euomphalus (represented by the species, Euomphalus kaibabensis Chronic), Baylea, Worthenia, Naticopsis, Goniasma, Kinishbia, Cibecuia, and Glyptospira. The gastropods suggest a Leonardian (late Early Permian) age for this horizon, and many of the species have previously been recorded from the Supai Group and Kaibab Formation of northern and central Arizona. The Colina Limestone is conformably overlain by 11.2 m of light-gray lime mudstone and dolostone, assigned here to the Epitaph Dolomite, which in turn is succeeded by 58.8 m of red-colored sandstone and gray lime mudstone, assigned here to the Scherrer Formation. This Lower Permian succession is significant because it further strengthens the stratigraphic ties of southeastern Arizona rocks with those of northern

  6. Recovery vs. Restructuring: Establishing Ecologic Patterns in Early and Middle Triassic Paleocommunities (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraiser, M.; Dineen, A.; Sheehan, P.

    2013-12-01

    Published data has been interpreted as indicating that marine ecological devastation following the end-Permian mass extinction was protracted and may have lasted 5 million years into the Middle Triassic (Anisian). However, a review of previous literature shows that understanding of biotic recovery is typically based on only a few components of the ecosystem, such as on taxonomic diversity, a single genus/phylum, or facies. Typically, paleocommunities are considered fully recovered when dominance and diversity are regained and normal ecosystem functioning has resumed. However, in addition to the biodiversity crash at the end of the Permian, taxonomic and ecologic structure also changed,with the extinction marking the faunal shift from brachiopod-rich Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna (EF) to the mollusc-rich Modern EF. This suggests that the extreme reorganizational nature of the Triassic does not adhere to the standard definition of recovery, which is a return to previous conditions. Thus, we propose the term 'restructuring' to describe this interval, as Early and Middle Triassic communities might not exhibit the typical characteristics of a 'normal' Permian one. To more fully characterize Triassic ecologic restructuring, paleoecologists should take into account functional diversity and redundancy. We quantified functional richness and regularity in four different paleocommunities from classic Permian and Triassic sections. Functional richness was low in paleocommunities after the end-Permian mass extinction, but increased to high levels by the Middle Triassic. In contrast, functional regularity was low in the Middle Permian, but high in all the Triassic paleocommunities. The change from low to high functional regularity/redundancy at the P/T boundary may be a factor of the highly stressful Triassic environmental conditions (i.e. anoxia, hypercapnia), as high regularity in a community can boost survival in harsh environments. Parameters such as these will more

  7. Microconchids from microbialite ecosystem immediately after end-Permian mass extinction: ecologic selectivity and implications for microbialite ecosystem structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, H.; Chen, Z.; Wang, Y. B.; Ou, W.; Liao, W.; Mei, X.

    2013-12-01

    The Permian-Triassic (P-Tr) carbonate successions are often characterized by the presence of microbialite buildups worldwide. The widespread microbialites are believed as indication of microbial proliferation immediately after the P-Tr mass extinction. The death of animals representing the primary consumer trophic structure of marine ecosystem in the P-Tr crisis allows the bloom of microbes as an important primary producer in marine trophic food web structure. Thus, the PTB microbialite builders have been regarded as disaster taxa of the P-Tr ecologic crisis. Microbialite ecosystems were suitable for most organisms to inhabit. However, increasing evidence show that microbialite dwellers are also considerably abundant and diverse, including mainly foraminifers Earlandia sp. and Rectocornuspira sp., lingulid brachiopods, ostrocods, gastropods, and microconchids. In particular, ostracods are extremely abundant in this special ecosystem. Microconchid-like calcareous tubes are also considerably abundant. Here, we have sampled systematically a PTB microbialite deposit from the Dajiang section, southern Guizhou Province, southwest China and have extracted abundant isolated specimens of calcareous worm tubes. Quantitative analysis enables to investigate stratigraphic and facies preferences of microconchids in the PTB microbialites. Our preliminary result indicates that three microconchid species Microconchus sp., Helicoconchus elongates and Microconchus aberrans inhabited in microbialite ecosystem. Most microconchilds occurred in the upper part of the microbialite buildup and the grainstone-packstone microfacies. Very few microconchilds were found in the rocks bearing well-developed microbialite structures. Their stratigraphic and environmental preferences indicate proliferation of those metazoan organisms is coupled with ebb of the microbialite development. They also proliferated in some local niches in which microbial activities were not very active even if those

  8. Total polyphenolic contents and in vitro antioxidant properties of eight Sida species from Western Ghats, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M D Subramanya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Sida L., is a medicinally important genus, the species of which are widely used in traditional systems of medicine in India. Pharmacologically, roots are known for anti-tumor, anti-HIV, hepatoprotective, and many other properties. Phenolic antioxidants help in reducing oxidative stress occurring during treatment of such diseases. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate and compare polyphenol contents and antioxidant properties of eight selected species of Sida from Western Ghats, India. Materials and Methods: Methanolic root extracts (10% w/v of Sida species, viz., S. acuta, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. indica, S. mysorensis, S. retusa, S. rhombifolia, and S. spinosa were analyzed. Results: Sida cordifolia possessed highest total phenolic content (TPC: 1.92 ± 0.10 mg Caffeic Acid Equivalent/g and 2.13 ± 0.11 mg Tannic Acid Equivalant/g, total flavonoid content (TF: 2.60 ± 0.13 mg Quercetin Equivalent/g and also possessed highest antioxidant activities in 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging (51.31 ± 2.57% Radical Scavenging Activity, (RSA; Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity: 566.25 ± 28.31μM; Ascorbic acid Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity: 477.80 ± 23.89 μM and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assays (TEAC: 590.67 ± 29.53 μM; AEAC: 600.67 ± 30.03 μM. Unlike DPPH and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP activity, 2, 2Ͳ-Azinobis (3-ethyl Benzo Thiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid ABTS + antioxidant activity was highest in S. indica (TEAC: 878.44 ± 43.92 μM; AEAC 968.44 ± 48.42 μM. It was significant to note that values of AEAC (μM for all the antioxidant activities analyzed were higher than that of TEAC. Conclusion: The high contents of phenolic compounds in the root extracts of selected Sida species have direct correlation with their antioxidant properties. Conclusively, roots of S. cordifolia can be considered as the potential source of polyphenols and antioxidants.

  9. Tritium kinetics in a freshwater marsh ecosystem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, L.W.

    1976-01-01

    Ten curies of tritium (as tritiated water, HTO) were applied to a 2-ha enclosed Lake Erie marsh in northwestern Ohio on 29 October 1973. Tritium kinetics in the marsh water, bottom sediment, and selected aquatic plants and animals were determined. Following HTO application, peak tritium levels in the sediment were observed on day 13 in the top 1-cm layer, on day 27 at the 5-cm depth, and on day 64 at the 10-cm depth. Peak levels at 15 and 20 cm were not discernible, although there was some movement of HTO to the 20-cm depth. A model based on diffusion theory described tritium movement through the sediment. Unbound and bound tritium levels in curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), and smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium) generally tended to follow tritium levels in marsh water. The unbound tritium:marsh water tritium ratio was significantly larger (P < 0.001) in curly-leaf pondweed than in either of the two emergents. Tritium uptake into the unbound compartments of crayfish (Procambarus blandingi), carp (Cyprinus carpio), and bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) was rapid. For crayfish, maximum HTO levels were observed on days 3 and 2 for viscera and muscle, respectively. Unbound HTO in carp viscera peaked on day 2, and levels in carp muscle reached a maximum in 4 hours. Maximum levels of unbound HTO in bluegill viscera and muscle were observed on day 1. After peak levels were obtained, unbound HTO paralleled marsh water HTO activity in all species. Tritium uptake into the bound compartments was not as rapid nor were the levels as high as for unbound HTO in any of the species. Peak bound levels in crayfish viscera were observed on day 20 and maximum levels in muscle were noted on day 10. Bound tritium in carp viscera and muscle reached maximum levels on day 20. In bluegills, peaks were reached on days 7 and 5 for viscera and muscle, respectively. Bound tritium in all species decreased following maximum levels

  10. Efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewaters treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Travaini-Lima

    Full Text Available AIM: The limnological characteristics of three different inlets water of the constructed wetland were compared in terms of concentration data and loading rate data and evaluated the removal efficiencies of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and thermotolerant coliforms (TC by the treatment system; METHODS: The constructed wetland, measuring 82.8 m² and with detention time of 1 hour and 58 minutes in the rainy season and 2 hours and 42 minutes in the dry one, was provided with four species, Cyperus giganteus Vahl, Typha domingensis Pers., Pontederia cordata L. e Eichhornia crassipes (Mart. Solms. The sampling sites evaluated in the dry (D and rainy (R seasons were: inlet water from aquaculture farm = IA; inlet channel of rainwater runoff = IR; inlet from UASB wastewater = IB; outlet wetland = OUT. The conductivity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, BOD5, total soluble and dissolved solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and TC were analyzed. Multivariate analyses, such as Cluster and Principal Components Analysis (PCA, were carried out to group sampling sites with similar limnological characteristics; RESULTS: In the PCA with the concentration data was retained 90.52% variability of data, correlating the inlet IB with high concentrations of conductivity, alkalinity, pH, TC, nutrients and solids. Regarding loading rate data, the PCA was retained 80.9% of the data's total variability and correlated the sampling sites IA D, IA R and OUT R with higher BOD5, chlorophyll-a, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, total-P, temperature, oxygen and water flow. The highest removal efficiencies rates occurred in the dry season, mainly in concentration, with 78% of ammonia, 95.5% of SRP, 94.9% of TSS and 99.9% of TC; CONCLUSIONS: The wetland was highly efficacious in the removal of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and TC, mainly during the dry season. The system restructuring to increase the detention time during the rainy season and a pre

  11. Occurrence, Biology and Harmfulness of Byctiscus betulae (L. (Coleoptera, Rhynchitidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaroslav Urban

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In 2012 and 2013, was studied the occurrence, biology and harmfulness of Byctiscus betulae (L. (Rhynchitidae on forest woody plants in the Brno region. Leaf rolls were found on 13 species (and 10 genera of woody plants. Most frequently, they occurred on Fagus sylvatica, Tilia spp. (namely on T. cordata, Salix caprea and Populus tremula. The beetles hibernate in ground pupal chambers and appear on woody plants in the last decade of April. After hibernation, females live on average seven (males five weeks, and damage on average 40 (males 25 cm2 of leaves. The females create leaf rolls on annual shoots they have gnawed, exceptionally (in 2% on leaves with damaged petioles. In the rolls on F. sylvatica, they roll on average 5.6 leaves whose total average area is 49.5 cm2 and lay on average 5.1 eggs. In the rolls on Tilia spp., they roll on average 3.3 leaves whose total area is 63.2 cm2 and lay on average 4.9 eggs. In the rolls on S. caprea, they roll on average 3.3 leaves whose total area is 38.3 cm2 and lay on average 3.5 eggs. The maximum number of laid eggs (on average 8.0 was observed in the leaf rolls on Vitis vinifera. The average number of eggs in the leaf rolls was decreasing from May to July. The number of eggs was increasing with the increasing total leaf area rolled. The females lay on average 50 eggs. On P. tremula, S. caprea and Pyrus pyraster they create about 15 leaf rolls, on F. sylvatica and Tilia spp. about 10 leaf rolls and on V. vinifera ca. 8 leaf rolls. Embryogenesis lasts from 8 to 9 days. Larvae develop over 3 instars and damage ca. 300 mm2 of leaves. Coming of age within 4−7 weeks, they leave the leaf rolls from mid-June to the beginning of September.

  12. In Vitro Activity of Sodium New Houttuyfonate Alone and in Combination with Oxacillin or Netilmicin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xue; Lu, Yun; Ren, Zhitao; Zhao, Longyin; Hu, Xinxin; Jiang, Jiandong; You, Xuefu

    2013-01-01

    Background Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe infections, including bacteremia and sepsis. The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) highlights the need for novel treatment options. Sodium new houttuyfonate (SNH) is an analogue of houttuynin, the main antibacterial ingredient of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro activity of SNH and its potential for synergy with antibiotics against hospital-associated MRSA. Methodology A total of 103 MRSA clinical isolates recovered in two hospitals in Beijing were evaluated for susceptibility to SNH, oxacillin, cephalothin, meropenem, vancomycin, levofloxacin, minocycline, netilmicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole by broth microdilution. Ten isolates were evaluated for potential for synergy between SNH and the antibiotics above by checkerboard assay. Time-kill analysis was performed in three isolates to characterize the kill kinetics of SNH alone and in combination with the antibiotics that engendered synergy in checkerboard assays. Besides, two reference strains were included in all assays. Principal Findings SNH inhibited all test strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 16 to 64 µg/mL in susceptibility tests, and displayed inhibition to bacterial growth in concentration-dependent manner in time-kill analysis. In synergy studies, the combinations of SNH-oxacillin, SNH-cephalothin, SNH-meropenem and SNH-netilmicin showed synergistic effects against 12 MRSA strains with median fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of 0.38, 0.38, 0.25 and 0.38 in checkerboard assays. In time-kill analysis, SNH at 1/2 MIC in combination with oxacillin at 1/128 to 1/64 MIC or netilmicin at 1/8 to 1/2 MIC decreased the viable colonies by ≥2log10 CFU/mL. Conclusions/Significance SNH demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against 103 hospital-associated MRSA isolates. Combinations of sub-MIC levels of SNH and oxacillin or netilmicin

  13. Efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewaters treatment Eficiência de um "wetland" construído no tratamento de efluentes

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    Fernanda Travaini-Lima

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The limnological characteristics of three different inlets water of the constructed wetland were compared in terms of concentration data and loading rate data and evaluated the removal efficiencies of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and thermotolerant coliforms (TC by the treatment system; METHODS: The constructed wetland, measuring 82.8 m² and with detention time of 1 hour and 58 minutes in the rainy season and 2 hours and 42 minutes in the dry one, was provided with four species, Cyperus giganteus Vahl, Typha domingensis Pers., Pontederia cordata L. e Eichhornia crassipes (Mart. Solms. The sampling sites evaluated in the dry (D and rainy (R seasons were: inlet water from aquaculture farm = IA; inlet channel of rainwater runoff = IR; inlet from UASB wastewater = IB; outlet wetland = OUT. The conductivity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, BOD5, total soluble and dissolved solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and TC were analyzed. Multivariate analyses, such as Cluster and Principal Components Analysis (PCA, were carried out to group sampling sites with similar limnological characteristics; RESULTS: In the PCA with the concentration data was retained 90.52% variability of data, correlating the inlet IB with high concentrations of conductivity, alkalinity, pH, TC, nutrients and solids. Regarding loading rate data, the PCA was retained 80.9% of the data's total variability and correlated the sampling sites IA D, IA R and OUT R with higher BOD5, chlorophyll-a, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, total-P, temperature, oxygen and water flow. The highest removal efficiencies rates occurred in the dry season, mainly in concentration, with 78% of ammonia, 95.5% of SRP, 94.9% of TSS and 99.9% of TC; CONCLUSIONS: The wetland was highly efficacious in the removal of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and TC, mainly during the dry season. The system restructuring to increase the detention time during the rainy season and a pre

  14. Efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewaters treatment Eficiência de um "wetland" construído no tratamento de efluentes

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    Fernanda Travaini-Lima

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The limnological characteristics of three different inlets water of the constructed wetland were compared in terms of concentration data and loading rate data and evaluated the removal efficiencies of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and thermotolerant coliforms (TC by the treatment system; METHODS: The constructed wetland, measuring 82.8 m² and with detention time of 1 hour and 58 minutes in the rainy season and 2 hours and 42 minutes in the dry one, was provided with four species, Cyperus giganteus Vahl, Typha domingensis Pers., Pontederia cordata L. e Eichhornia crassipes (Mart. Solms. The sampling sites evaluated in the dry (D and rainy (R seasons were: inlet water from aquaculture farm = IA; inlet channel of rainwater runoff = IR; inlet from UASB wastewater = IB; outlet wetland = OUT. The conductivity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, BOD5, total soluble and dissolved solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and TC were analyzed. Multivariate analyses, such as Cluster and Principal Components Analysis (PCA, were carried out to group sampling sites with similar limnological characteristics; RESULTS: In the PCA with the concentration data was retained 90.52% variability of data, correlating the inlet IB with high concentrations of conductivity, alkalinity, pH, TC, nutrients and solids. Regarding loading rate data, the PCA was retained 80.9% of the data's total variability and correlated the sampling sites IA D, IA R and OUT R with higher BOD5, chlorophyll-a, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, total-P, temperature, oxygen and water flow. The highest removal efficiencies rates occurred in the dry season, mainly in concentration, with 78% of ammonia, 95.5% of SRP, 94.9% of TSS and 99.9% of TC; CONCLUSIONS: The wetland was highly efficacious in the removal of nutrients, solids, BOD5, chlorophyll-a and TC, mainly during the dry season. The system restructuring to increase the detention time during the rainy season and a pre

  15. Complete mitochondrial genome of Bugula neritina (Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Cheilostomata: phylogenetic position of Bryozoa and phylogeny of lophophorates within the Lophotrochozoa

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    Jang Kuem

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The phylogenetic position of Bryozoa is one of the most controversial issues in metazoan phylogeny. In an attempt to address this issue, the first bryozoan mitochondrial genome from Flustrellidra hispida (Gymnolaemata, Ctenostomata was recently sequenced and characterized. Unfortunately, it has extensive gene translocation and extremely reduced size. In addition, the phylogenies obtained from the result were conflicting, so they failed to assign a reliable phylogenetic position to Bryozoa or to clarify lophophorate phylogeny. Thus, it is necessary to characterize further mitochondrial genomes from slowly-evolving bryozoans to obtain a more credible lophophorate phylogeny. Results The complete mitochondrial genome (15,433 bp of Bugula neritina (Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Cheilostomata, one of the most widely distributed cheliostome bryozoans, is sequenced. This second bryozoan mitochondrial genome contains the set of 37 components generally observed in other metazoans, differing from that of F. hispida (Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Ctenostomata, which has only 36 components with loss of tRNAser(ucn genes. The B. neritina mitochondrial genome possesses 27 multiple noncoding regions. The gene order is more similar to those of the two remaining lophophorate phyla (Brachiopoda and Phoronida and a chiton Katharina tunicate than to that of F. hispida. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequences or amino acid residues of 12 protein-coding genes showed consistently that, within the Lophotrochozoa, the monophyly of the bryozoan class Gymnolaemata (B. neritina and F. hispida was strongly supported and the bryozoan clade was grouped with brachiopods. Echiura appeared as a subtaxon of Annelida, and Entoprocta as a sister taxon of Phoronida. The clade of Bryozoa + Brachiopoda was clustered with either the clade of Annelida-Echiura or that of Phoronida + Entoprocta. Conclusion This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome of a

  16. Reconstructing the diet of a 505-million-year-old arthropod: Sidneyia inexpectans from the Burgess Shale fauna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zacaï, Axelle; Vannier, Jean; Lerosey-Aubril, Rudy

    2016-03-01

    The feeding ecology of the 505-million-year-old arthropod Sidneyia inexpectans from the middle Cambrian (Series 3, Stage 5) Burgess Shale fauna (British Columbia, Canada) is revealed by three lines of evidence: the structure of its digestive system, the fossilized contents of its gut and the functional anatomy of its appendages. The digestive tract of Sidneyia is straight, tubular and relatively narrow in the trunk region. It is enlarged into a pear-shaped area in the cephalic region and stretches notably to form a large pocket in the abdomen. The mouth is ventral, posteriorly directed and leads to the midgut via a short tubular structure interpreted as the oesophagus. Anteriorly, three pairs of glands with internal, branching tubular structures open into the digestive tract. These glands have equivalents in various Cambrian arthropod taxa (e.g. naraoiids) and modern arthropods. Their primary function was most likely to digest and assimilate food. The abdominal pocket of Sidneyia concentrates undigested skeletal elements and various residues. It is interpreted here as the functional analogue of the stercoral pocket of some extant terrestrial arachnids (e.g. Araneae, Solifugae), whose primary function is to store food residuals and excretory material until defecation. Analysis of the gut contents indicates that Sidneyia fed largely on small ptychopariid trilobites, brachiopods, possibly agnostids, worms and other undetermined animals. Sidneyia was primarily a durophagous carnivore with predatory and/or scavenging habits, feeding on small invertebrates that lived at the water-sediment interface. There is no evidence for selective feeding. Its food items (e.g. living prey or dead material) were grasped and manipulated ventrally by its anterior appendages, then macerated into ingestible fragments and conveyed to the mouth via the converging action of strong molar-like gnathobases. Digestion probably took place within the anterior midgut via enzymes secreted in the

  17. Body Size Preference of Marine Animals in Relation to Extinction Selectivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sriram, A.; Idgunji, S.; Heim, N. A.; Payne, J.

    2014-12-01

    Our project encompasses an extremely specific aspect in relation to the five mass extinctions in geologic history. We asked ourselves whether larger or smaller body sizes would be better suited for surviving a mass extinction. To conduct research for our project, we used the body sizes of 17,172 marine animal genera as our primary data. These animals include echinoderms, arthropods, chordates, mollusks, and brachiopods. These creatures are perfect model organisms in terms of finding data on them because they have an excellent fossil record, and are well documented. We focused on the mean body size of these animals before and after each of the five mass extinctions (end-Ordovician, Late Devonian, end-Permian, end-Triassic, and end-Cretaceous). Our hypothesis was that the average biovolume of animals increased after each of the extinctions, with the mean size being greater after than it was before. Our size data is from the Ellis & Messina Catalogue of Ostracoda and the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. We obtained stratigraphic range data The Treatise and Sepkoski (2002). In our analyses, we compared the mean size of the different animal genera before and after each extinction event. We further partitioned size change across mass extinction boundaries into three categories: the surviving genera, the extinct genera, and the newly originating genera that came about after the extinction. According to our analyses, the mean sizes did not change significantly from the genera living during the stages before the extinctions and after the extinctions. From our results, we can assume that there were not enough major increases in the overall volume of the organisms to warrant a definite conclusion that extinctions lead to larger body sizes. Further support for our findings came from the T-tests in our R code. Only the Cretaceous period showed true evidence for size changing because of the extinction; in this case, the mean size decreased. T-tests for the Cretaceous

  18. Ecological studies in a Scanian woodland and meadow area, southern Sweden. Ti. Plant biomass, primary production and turnover of organic matter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersson, F

    1970-01-01

    As a part of an IBP project the productivity of the south Swedish deciduous woodland ecosystems and their secondary successional stages a comparison between the distribution of organic matter in a mixed deciduous woodland dominated by Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Corylus avellana and Anemone nemorosa and a tall herb meadow with Filipendula ulmaria within the nemoral zone in the southernmost part of Sweden has been made. Estimations of the plant biomass and production in the woodland was made by a dimension analysis applying allometric equations. A total plant biomass of 240 t/ha was found with 201 t/ha and 39 t/ha as above-and below-ground figures respectively. The corresponding figures of the net primary production are 15.6, 13.3 and 2.3 t/ha. A production of 0.77 t/ha is included for the above-ground production of the field layer. The litter fall, fractions less than 50 cm long, during a three year period amounted to 5.28 t/ha with considerable variation between years. Including coarser litter fractions an yearly input to the ground of 6.5 t/ha was found. After estimation of the remaining litter before the leaf fall, 6.1 t/ha, the yearly turnover of the litter layer is calculated to 52%. As the humus fraction amounts to 218 t/ha, the total content of organic matter in the woodland ecosystem thus is 463 t/ha with an almost equal distribution between above-and below-ground portions. In the meadow the distribution of above-and below-ground portions of the organic matter is 1/49, calculated from the following figures: Above-ground biomass 4.7 t/ha, below-ground biomass 13.2 t/ha, surface litter 2.4 t/ha and humus 304 t/ha making the total organic matter of the meadow ecosystem 324 t/ha. The yearly above-ground production is estimated to be 7.2 t/ha and taking this as the yearly litter input to the ground and taking the remaining litter into account a turnover of the litter layer 75% is calculated.

  19. Short Rotation Forestry (SRF in a Mediterranean Environment Under Limited Energy Inputs

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    Antonio Sergio De Franchi

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work is comparing the two year performance (diameter, total height and mortality of twenty tree and shrub species in a semi arid environment. The research also wants to supply recommendation on the agronomic cropping techniques in areas where rainfall is the main limiting factor and water use is strictly limited. Woody biomass is gaining increasing importance for energy production in Italy. During the last five years, roughly 5000 ha of Short Rotation Forestry (SRF have been planted, mostly in northern Italy, especially using poplar clones. However, in Southern Italy, due to the poor rainfall and the lack of knowledge existing on the species to use, few groves have been established. The studied groves were set in December 2005 in a Mediterranean area where the total year rainfall is not higher than 600 mm (mostly in autumn and winter. Twenty species (Salix cinerea, Ulmus carpinifolia, Corylus avellana, Spartium junceum, Acer saccharinum, Morus alba, Saphora japonica, Eleagnus angustifolia, Fraxinus angustifolia (var oxicarpa, Sambucus nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Populus nigra, Albizia julibrissis, Populus alba, Salix alba, Ailanthus altissima, Alnus cordata, Ficus carica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Celtis australis were planted in “collection” plots and set in singular plots on single rows (3 m X 0.5 m spacing. Six species (R. pseudoacacia, P. nigra, P. alba, S. nigra, E. camaldulensis, and A. altissima were planted in eighteen random “experimental” split-plots, using single and twin rows (0.5 m spacing between plants. Plots had a rectangular plant spacing (3 m between singular and twin rows, 0.5 m on each row. Plant density was roughly 6670 cuttings ha-1 in “collection” plots with singular rows and 10950 cuttings ha-1 in “experimental” plots using single and twin rows. The expected harvest interval ranges from 2 to 5 years, depending on the first results. In the “collection” plots, the first results showed

  20. Short Rotation Forestry (SRF in a Mediterranean Environment Under Limited Energy Inputs

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    Stella Lovelli

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work is comparing the two year performance (diameter, total height and mortality of twenty tree and shrub species in a semi arid environment. The research also wants to supply recommendation on the agronomic cropping techniques in areas where rainfall is the main limiting factor and water use is strictly limited. Woody biomass is gaining increasing importance for energy production in Italy. During the last five years, roughly 5000 ha of Short Rotation Forestry (SRF have been planted, mostly in northern Italy, especially using poplar clones. However, in Southern Italy, due to the poor rainfall and the lack of knowledge existing on the species to use, few groves have been established. The studied groves were set in December 2005 in a Mediterranean area where the total year rainfall is not higher than 600 mm (mostly in autumn and winter. Twenty species (Salix cinerea, Ulmus carpinifolia, Corylus avellana, Spartium junceum, Acer saccharinum, Morus alba, Saphora japonica, Eleagnus angustifolia, Fraxinus angustifolia (var oxicarpa, Sambucus nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Populus nigra, Albizia julibrissis, Populus alba, Salix alba, Ailanthus altissima, Alnus cordata, Ficus carica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Celtis australis were planted in “collection” plots and set in singular plots on single rows (3 m X 0.5 m spacing. Six species (R. pseudoacacia, P. nigra, P. alba, S. nigra, E. camaldulensis, and A. altissima were planted in eighteen random “experimental” split-plots, using single and twin rows (0.5 m spacing between plants. Plots had a rectangular plant spacing (3 m between singular and twin rows, 0.5 m on each row. Plant density was roughly 6670 cuttings ha-1 in “collection” plots with singular rows and 10950 cuttings ha-1 in “experimental” plots using single and twin rows. The expected harvest interval ranges from 2 to 5 years, depending on the first results. In the “collection” plots, the first results showed

  1. The Robin, Erithacus Rubecula (Passeriformes, Turdidae, As a Component of Autotrophic Consortia of Forest Cenoses, Northeast Ukraine

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    Chaplygina A. B.

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The role of the robin, Erithacus rubecula Linnaeus, 1758 as a consort of autotrophic consortia is considered. It has been found that representatives of 9 higher taxa of animals (Mammalia, Aves, Gastropoda, Insecta, Arachnida, Acarina, Malacostraca, Diplopoda, Clitellata have trophic and topical links with the robin. At the same time, the robin is a consort of determinants of autotrophic consortia, which core is represented mostly by dominating species of deciduous trees (Quercus robur Linnaeus, 1753 (24.6 %, Tilia cordata Miller, 1768 (17.5 %, Acer platanoides Linnaeus, 1753 (22.8 %, Acer campestre Linnaeus, 1753, and also by sedges (Carex sp. and grasses (Poaceae. The robin also belongs to the concentre of the second and higher orders as a component of forest biogeocenoses and forms a complex trophic system. In the diet of its nestlings, there have been found 717 objects from 32 invertebrate taxa, belonging to the phylums Arthropoda (99.2 %, 31 species and Annelida (0.8 %, 1 species. The phylum Arthropoda was represented by the most numerous class Insecta (76.9 %, in which 10 orders (Lepidoptera (46.8 % dominates and 20 families were recorded, and also by the classes Arachnida (15.0 %, Malacostraca (5.3 % and Diplopoda (1.9 %. The invertebrate species composition was dominated by representatives of a trophic group of zoophages (14 species; 43.8 %; the portion of phytophages (7 species; 21.9 %, saprophages (18.7 %, and necrophages (15.6 % was the less. The highest number of food items was represented by phytophages (N = 717; 51 %, followed by zoophages (34 %, saprophages (12 %, and necrophages (3 %. The difference among study areas according to the number of food items and the number of species in the robin nestling diet is shown. In NNP “HF”, the highest number of food items was represented by phytophages - 47 % (N = 443, whereas zoophages were the most species-rich group (43.3 %, 13 species. In NNP “H”, phytophages also prevailed in

  2. An ethnomedicinal survey of cucurbitaceae family plants used in the folk medicinal practices of Bangladesh 1

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    Mohammed Rahmatullah

    2012-01-01

    cochinchinensis, Trichosanthes anguina, Trichosanthes cordata, Trichosanthes dioica, and Trichosanthes kirilowii. The review of the available scientific literature showed that the use of a number of the above-mentioned plants in folk medicine can be validated based on their reported pharmacological activity studies. Conclusion: Taken together, the plants present excellent potential for further scientific studies, which may result in discovery of novel compounds of therapeutic interest.

  3. Declines in populations of Salix caprea L.during forest regeneration after strong herbivore pressure

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    Janusz B. Faliński

    2014-01-01

    (Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides and Ulmus glabra under the canopy of light-seeded trees, and the non-creation of a new generation of pioneer species points to the imminent end of the process of regeneration in the forest communities of Białowieża National Park.

  4. Main consistent patterns of Stromatoporoid Development in the Late Ordovician and Silurian in the North Urals Palaeobasin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antropova, E.

    2009-04-01

    In the history of the Earth there have been no basins with similar characteristics. The North Urals palaeobasin had its own unique features. The dominant benthic organisms of basin ecosystem during the Ordovician and Silurian were stromatoporoids, corals, and brachiopods. This fauna is vitally important for the aims of stratigraphy so long as conodonts are extremely rare in sections of the Northern Urals area. The most complete ordering of stromatoporoid complexes has been established and made it possible to estimate rates and measures of extinction at a level of the province. It was also found out that stromatoporoids were organisms responsive to subtle changes of environment and that they accommodated differently to those changing conditions. The evolution of stromatoporoids was accompanied by phylogenetic reorganization and formation of endemic communities in the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian. In the Late Silurian taxonomical diversity of stromatoporoids was mainly controlled by migration processes and cosmopolites with wide palaeogeographic links prevailed in the palaeobasin. Therefore palaeobasin at that time was open to stromatoporoid fauna migration which is confirmed by the occurrence of genera and species that disperse in coeval deposits of many areas, for example, Baltic States, Sweden, Ukraine (Podolia), Western Siberia, Arctic islands of Russia, Mongolia, Canada (islands). The evolution of stromatoporoid communities in the Ordovician-Silurian was intermitted by biotic crises. The analysis of stromatoporoid development helps to define crucial points of ecosystem's reorganizations coinciding with critical geological and biotic events in the history of the North Urals palaeobasin existence, as well as global events during the Ordovician and Silurian (Hirnantian Event, Ireviken Event, Lau Event). The analysis of crises indicates local dependence of stromatoporoid biodiversity on depositional environments. Large local biocenos reorganizations and biotic

  5. Chinese vegetative materia medica in a venereological treatise by Jean Astruc from 1740.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drobnik, Jacek

    2016-07-01

    Historical medical sources can be still queried for forgotten cures and remedies. Traditional Chinese medicine has dealt with lues venerea (syphilis) since the Five Dynasties period (10th century). Chinese indigenous materia medica and remedies recorded, studied or imported by the Europeans can reveal known or quite unknown medicinal plants. The studied Jean Astruc's work is a published ethnopharmacological survey carried out in Beijing in the 1730s and it deserves a modern interpretation. This is the first proposal to identify historical Chinese medicinal plants listed in a scarcely known medical treatise De Morbis venereis… ('On venereal diseases…') by Jean Astruc from 1740. I searched for the current uses and position of the taxonomically identified herbal stock in both traditional Chinese and official medical knowledge, with special attention to syphilis. Chinese names of drugs and their botanical identities (originally expressed by means of pre-Linnaean polynomials, and now interpreted as accepted binomials) were independently cross-checked with younger till most recent taxonomical and ethnopharmacological sources. Plants and drugs identified this way were queried for their modern applications in traditional Chinese and official medicine with special attention to sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and other uses which are similar to the 18th-century understanding of venereology. For 24 items of medicinal stock, 34 medicinal plants have been identified or suspected: Acacia catechu, Achyranthes bidentata, Akebia quinata, Angelica dahurica, A. sinensis, Aquilaria sinensis, Aralia cordata, Aristolochia fangchi, Chaenomeles sinensis, Ch. speciosa, Clematis vitalba, Coix lacryma-jobi, Commiphora myrrha, Cydonia oblonga, Daemonorops draco, D. jenkinsiana, Dictamnus dasycarpus, Dryobalanops sumatrensis, Forsythia suspensa, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Lonicera confusa, L. hypoglauca, L. japonica, Ligusticum striatum (=L. chuanxiong), Piper kadsura, Pterocarpus

  6. Assessment of the nutrient removal effectiveness of floating treatment wetlands applied to urban retention ponds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chih-Yu; Sample, David J

    2014-05-01

    The application of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) in point and non-point source pollution control has received much attention recently. Although the potential of this emerging technology is supported by various studies, quantifying FTW performance in urban retention ponds remains elusive due to significant research gaps. Actual urban retention pond water was utilized in this mesocosm study to evaluate phosphorus and nitrogen removal efficiency of FTWs. Multiple treatments were used to investigate the contribution of each component in the FTW system with a seven-day retention time. The four treatments included a control, floating mat, pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata L.), and softstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani). The water samples collected on Day 0 (initial) and 7 were analyzed for total phosphorus (TP), total particulate phosphorus, orthophosphate, total nitrogen (TN), organic nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a. Statistical tests were used to evaluate the differences between the four treatments. The effects of temperature on TP and TN removal rates of the FTWs were described by the modified Arrhenius equation. Our results indicated that all three FTW designs, planted and unplanted floating mats, could significantly improve phosphorus and nitrogen removal efficiency (%, E-TP and E-TN) compared to the control treatment during the growing season, i.e., May through August. The E-TP and E-TN was enhanced by 8.2% and 18.2% in the FTW treatments planted with the pickerelweed and softstem bulrush, respectively. Organic matter decomposition was likely to be the primary contributor of nutrient removal by FTWs in urban retention ponds. Such a mechanism is fostered by microbes within the attached biofilms on the floating mats and plant root surfaces. Among the results of the four treatments, the FTWs planted with pickerelweed had the highest E-TP, and behaved similarly with the other two FTW treatments for nitrogen removal

  7. Orchid bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae community from a gallery forest in the Brazilian Cerrado

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    Francinaldo S Silva

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The orchid bees are a very important group of pollinators distributed in the Neotropics. Although a lot of studies concerning male euglossine bees have been done in this region, few works have so far been carried out in the Cerrado biome. This manuscript has the main objective to present the orchid bee community from a Gallery Forest in the Northeastern Brazilian Cerrado landscape, taking account the species composition, abundance, seasonality and hourly distribution. Male euglossine bees were collected monthly from October 2007 to May 2009, in the Reserva Florestal da Itamacaoca belonging to the Companhia de Água e Esgoto do Maranhão, in Chapadinha municipality, Maranhão State. The scents eucalyptol, eugenol and vanillin were utilized, between 07:00 and 17:00hr, to attract the euglossine males. Cotton balls were dampened with the scents and suspended by a string on tree branches 1.5m above soil level, set 8m from one another. The specimens were captured with entomological nets, killed with ethyl acetate and transported to the laboratory to be identified. A total of 158 individuals and 14 species of bees were recorded. The genus Eulaema was the most representative group of euglossine bees in relation to the total number of the sampled individuals, accounting for 50.6% of bees followed by Euglossa (26.6%, Eufriesea (15.2% and Exaerete (7.6%. The most frequent species were Eulaema nigrita (27.8%, Eulaema cingulata (19% and Euglossa cordata (18.3%. Many species typical of forested environments were found in samples, like Euglossa avicula, Euglossa violaceifrons and Eulaema meriana, emphasizing the role played by the Gallery Forests as bridge sites to connect the two great biomes of Amazonia and Atlantic Forest. The occurrence of Exaerete guaykuru represents the second record of this species for the Neotropical region, and both records coming from the Gallery Forest zones. The male euglossine bees were sampled mainly in the dry season, where 62

  8. Canada's National Building Stone: Tyndall Stone from Manitoba

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratt, Brian R.; Young, Graham A.; Dobrzanski, Edward P.

    2016-04-01

    burrows belonging to Thalassinoides, which were interconnected galleries likely made by arthropods after the sediment became somewhat consolidated. Slabs bearing fossils are typically avoided in construction for esthetic reasons and because some impart weaknesses. Such slabs have, however, become increasingly popular for decorative surfaces not exposed to the elements, since the macrofossil content is so striking. Most common are receptaculitids, followed by solitary rugose corals, stromatoporoid sponges, colonial rugose and tabulate corals, brachiopods, bryozoans, gastropods, cephalopods, and trilobites; echinoderm ossicles are common in the muddy matrix. Fossil relative abundances vary stratigraphically, suggesting that subtle environmental changes took place over time.

  9. Ethnobotanical survey of herbal tea plants from the traditional markets in Chaoshan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dong-Lin; Zheng, Xi-Long; Duan, Lei; Deng, Shuang-Wen; Ye, Wen; Wang, Ai-Hua; Xing, Fu-Wu

    2017-06-09

    Herbal tea, which refers to "cooling tea", "cool beverage", or "liáng chá" in China, includes a range of drinks with heat-clearing and detoxification qualities. Herbal tea plants are great contributive to the health and prosperity of Chaoshan people. The aim of the study was to document herbal tea plant species used and commercialized as "liáng chá" in Chaoshan area, to facilitate the use and development of herbal tea enterprises, and to promote the further development of national herbal tea. Information and data were obtained from all 83 stall holders in 12 traditional markets, semi-structured informant interviews were carried out individually with the stall holders, 10 questions were asked. In this study, 186 species of herbal tea plants belonging to 65 families and 156 genera were indicated by 83 stall holders, with Asteraceae being the most prevalent family with 22 species. Herbs are main sources of herbal tea plants in Chaoshan area, with whole plants (97 species) being the most used parts. Herbal drinks are mostly consumed for heat-clearing and detoxification, and a large number of plant species were reported to treat coughs, colds, dysentery, dampness and sore throats. The most cited species were Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam. (47 times mentioned), Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (46), Plantago asiatica L. (43), Houttuynia cordata Thunb (42), Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (36), Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr. (35) and Morus alba L. (31), and 5 protected species were recorded in the list of the nationally protected species of China: Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, Dendrobium nobile Lindl., Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata, Bulbophyllum odoratissimum (J. E. Smith) Lindl. and Pholidota chinensis Lindl. The selling price of most fresh herbal tea plants in the market varied from¥10-16/kg, with the profit margin of sales ranging from 12.5% to 20%. The consumption of herbal tea for one family costs about ¥3-5/day. Chaoshan herbal teas, prepared by diverse

  10. Monitoring tree health with a dual-wavelength terrestrial laser scanner

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hancock, S.

    2013-12-01

    Steven Hancock1, Rachel Gaulton1, Mark Danson2 1School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, UK, steven.hancock@ncl.ac.uk, rachel.gaulton@ncl.ac.uk 2 School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, UK, F.M.Danson@salford.ac.uk Forests are a vital part of the Earth's carbon cycle and drive interactions between the land and atmosphere. Accurate and repeatable measurement of forests is essential for understanding the Earth system. Terrestrial laser scanning can be a powerful tool for characterising forests. However, there are a number of issues that have yet to be resolved. Commercial laser scanners are optimised for measuring buildings and other hard targets. Vegetation canopies are complex and porous, confounding standard interpretation techniques. Commercial systems struggle with partial hits and cannot distinguish leaf from wood (Danson et al 2007). A new generation of terrestrial laser scanners, optimised for vegetation measurement, are in development. The Salford Advanced Laser Canopy Analyser (SALCA, Gaulton et al 2013) aims to overcome these issues using full-waveform analysis and two wavelengths (1064 nm and 1545 nm), allowing the characterisation of a porous canopy, the identification of leaf and wood and derivation of information on leaf biochemistry. Gaulton et al (2013) showed that SALCA is capable of measuring the Equivalent Water Thickness (EWT) of individual leaves in laboratory conditions. In this study, the method was applied to complete tree canopies. A controlled experiment simulating a small 'forest' of potted broadleaved (Tilia cordata) and coniferous trees (Pinus nigra) was established and groups subjected to different moisture stresses over a one month period. Trees were repeatedly scanned by SALCA and regular measurements were made of leaf EWT, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, spectral properties (using an ASD field spectroradiometer) and, for a limited number of trees, leaf area (by destructive

  11. Are we there yet? An NSF-CAREER sponsored field program as a vehicle for engaging high school students in geology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, T. D.

    2011-12-01

    little outdoor experience, to "get their hands dirty" was a major hurdle in some years. Finding the first fossil generally broke the ice, but this hurdle was never fully breached and remains a concern. At the end of the program, all participants indicated an increased appreciation for Nebraska's rich geologic heritage and for the natural sciences in general. Students went home with a collections of rocks ranging from chalk to tuff and fossils ranging from brachiopods to turtle shells. They were eager to relate Nebraska's geologic history to their parents and friends. At least five students intend to pursue a degree in geology because of their History on the Rocks experience. In 2011, the program was incorporated into the Big Red Summer Academic Camps program, a joint 4H-UNL effort. This integration allows History on the Rocks to continue after the CAREER grant expires.

  12. Analysis of a intra-Carixian clay horizon into carbonate platform of the Ouarsenis (Algeria): composition, dynamic and paleo-climatic implication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benhamou, M.; Salhi, A. [Oran Univ., Faculte des Sciences de la Terre et de l' Amenagement du Territoire, Dpt. de Geologie (Algeria)

    2005-07-01

    During the Late Sinemurian a carbonate platform has developed on the Ouarsenis area (external Tell o f the Algerian Alpine belt) with setting deposits of the Kef Sidi Amar Carbonate Formation. A first maximum flooding materialized by a brachiopods (Zeilleriids) layer, is occurring during the Late Carixian. The Late Carixian deepening has been followed by a sea-level fall documented by several meters incisions filled by transgressive breccia and conglomerates. After this episode, this material was sealed by a pedogenic bed (0,05 to 0,20 m) which corresponds to a yellow clay deposit containing well rounded particles interpreted as pedo-genetic globules. These corpuscles are composed of reddish and hardened clay, corroded quartz grains, rhombic and zoned dolomite crystals and ankerite, monocrystalline and xeno-morphous detrital quartz grains (1-2 mm). The observed characteristics allow to recognize a typical calcrete. They are the result of pedo-genetic diagenesis developed inside the phreatic water-table near the surface: this is an alteration profile. The mineralogic fraction has been analyzed by X-Ray which show results of association clay mineral as a predominance of illite (85%) and mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite (I-M, 10%) associated with a low ration of chlorite (5%) and kaolinite trace (1%). This mineralogic clay association indicates a shallow water (hydro-morphic zone). Among these clay minerals, the illite reveals the precious indications in a source area. In this case, it comes from the decomposition of the schist paleo-relief located in the internal domain. This rock was transformed by acid leaching (action of the sour humus) into kaolinite with the presence of the quartzification. The origin of the mixed-layer clay I-M (10%) is the result of the active pedogenesis. The simultaneous presence of the illite, chlorite, kaolinite and the mixed-layer clay I-M seems to be result from the erosion exercised on the alteration product or arenitisation of the

  13. An ethnobotanical survey of traditionally used plants on Suva planina mountain (south-eastern Serbia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarić, Snežana; Mačukanović-Jocić, Marina; Djurdjević, Lola; Mitrović, Miroslava; Kostić, Olga; Karadžić, Branko; Pavlović, Pavle

    2015-12-04

    This study documents the ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal importance of plants in the Suva planina mountain region (south-eastern Serbia). It is reflected in their high diversity and their wide range of uses in the treatment of the local population. The aim of this study was a comparative analysis of data collected in the Suva planina region with relevant data from the Western Balkans, which included identifying the 'most popular' plants, as well as those species which are used specifically for treatment solely in the research area. Ethnobotanical research was carried out between 2012 and 2014 and data was collected through both open and semi-structured interviews with locals. A total of 66 people were interviewed (37 women and 29 men), aged between 49 and 90 (with a mean age of 71). This study identified 128 plants and 2 fungi which are used in ethnomedicine, 5 plant species used in ethnoveterinary medicine, and 16 plants used for 'other' purposes. Lamiaceae (20), Asteraceae (17), Rosaceae (16), Brassicaceae (5), Alliaceae (4) and Apiaceae (4) have the greatest diversity of species. Results showed that Achillea mellefolium, Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi, Gentiana lutea, Hypericum perforatum, Juglans regia, Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha piperita, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Salvia officinalis, Sempervivum tectorum, Tilia cordata and Thymus sepyllum are the 'most popular' medicinal plants (UV=1). Those plants with the most phytotherapeutic uses are Gentiana cruciata (14), H. perforatum (11) and A. sativum (10), while the most common conditions treated with medicinal plants are respiratory (79), urogenital (53), gastrointestinal (51), skin (43) and those relating to the circulatory system (35). A comparative analysis of the data collected in the research area and that from other parts of the Western Balkans showed that there are great similarities within Serbia between Suva planina and the Zlatibor region (37.2%) and Kopaonik Mt. (32

  14. Restoration of marine ecosystems following the end-Permian mass extinction: pattern and dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Z.

    2013-12-01

    Life came closest to complete annihilation during the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). Pattern and cause of this great dying have long been disputed. Similarly, there is also some debate on the recovery rate and pattern of marine organisms in the aftermath of the EPME. Some clades recovered rapidly, within the first 1-3 Myr of the Triassic. For instance, foraminiferal recovery began 1 Myr into the Triassic and was not much affected by Early Triassic crises. Further, some earliest Triassic body and trace fossil assemblages are also more diverse than predicted. Others, ie. Brachiopods, corals etc., however, did not rebound until the Middle Triassic. In addition, although ammonoids recovered fast, reaching a higher diversity by the Smithian than in the Late Permian, much of this Early Triassic radiation was within a single group, the Ceratitina, and their morphological disparity did not expand until the end-Spathian. Here, I like to broaden the modern ecologic network model to explore the complete trophic structure of fossilized ecosystems during the Permian-Triassic transition as a means of assessing the recovery. During the Late Permian and Early Triassic, primary producers, forming the lowest trophic level, were microbes. The middle part of the food web comprises primary and meso-consumer trophic levels, the former dominated by microorganisms such as foraminifers, the latter by opportunistic communities (i.e. disaster taxa), benthic shelly communities, and reef-builders. They were often consumed by invertebrate and vertebrate predators, the top trophic level. Fossil record from South China shows that the post-extinction ecosystems were degraded to a low level and typified by primary producers or opportunistic consumers, which are represented by widespread microbialites or high-abundance, low-diversity communities. Except for some opportunists, primary consumers, namely foraminifers, rebounded in Smithian. Trace-makers recovered in Spathian, which also saw

  15. Schizophyllum commune: The main cause of dying trees of the Banja Luka arbored walks and parks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matavulj Milan N.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In the frame of investigation of the main cause of dying trees of the main arbored walks (Mladena Stojanovića Aley and Park, the investigation of the presence and diversity of macrofungi in Banja Luka City were undertaken in the period 2006-2011. Relatively poor generic diversity of lignicolous (pathogenic or potentially pathogenic and saprotrophic macrofungi with only 16 species representing this group (13 basidiomycets: Schizophyllum commune, Fomes fomentarius, Stereum hirsutum, Coriolus versicolor, Flammulina velutipes, Pseudotrametes gibbosa, Ganoderma applanatum, G. lucidum, G. adspersum, Polyporus squamosus, Meripilus giganteus, Laetiporus sulphureus, Auricu­laria auricula-judae, and 3 ascomycets: Nectria cinnabarina, Xylaria hypoxylon, X. poly­morpha were recorded. Such a poor qualitative composition of this very important fungal group could be explained by the reduction in the number of plant species in arbored walks and alleys, as well as the reduction in the number of fungi resistant to heavy air pollution caused by nearby (1-5m fuel combustion in engines. Although only preliminary, our results pointed to the necessity of conservation and protection of the most beautiful features of Banja Luka and its alleys and arbored walks, by undertaking the measures of curing damaged trees and treating them with fungicides in order to wipe out the epiphytia caused in more than 95% of cases (dated May 2011 by Split-gill (Schizophyllum commune, present on dead wood but also on damaged trees of Aesculus hyppocastaneum (127 trees, Tilia cordata (124 trees, Tilia platyphyllos (36 trees, Tilia argentea (40 trees, Acer negundo (20 trees, Platanus acerifolia (2 trees, Robinia pseudoacacia (3 trees, Fraxinus ornus (1 tree, Betula pendula (1 tree, Catalpa sp. (2 trees, etc. Altogether, during the last decade, around 200 trees collapsed or were sanitary cut in Banja Luka arbored walk from the Malta site to the Green bridge, a total length around 5 km. The

  16. Brackish to hypersaline lake dolostones of the Mississippian

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Carys; Kearsey, Timothy; Davies, Sarah; Millward, David; Marshall, John

    2016-04-01

    Flat-lying ferroan dolomite beds are common in the Mississippian and occur along the southern margin of Laurassia, from Kentucky USA to Poland. These rocks are important as they record shallow marine to coastal plain environments that may have acted as a pathway or refugia for animals that were radiating into freshwaters such as tetrapods, fish, molluscs and arthropods. This study is a contribution to the TW:eed Project (Tetrapod World: early evolution and diversification), that examines the rebuilding of Carboniferous ecosystems following a mass extinction at the end of the Devonian. The project focuses on the Tournaisian Ballagan Formation of Scotland, which contains rare fish and tetrapod fossils. The formation is characterised by an overbank facies association of siltstone, sandstone and palaeosols, interbedded with dolostone and evaporite units, and cut by fluvial sandstone facies associations of fining-upwards conglomerate lags, cross-bedded sandstone and rippled siltstone. Two sites are used as a case study to describe the sedimentological, faunal and ichnofaunal diversity of these dolostones. More than 270 dolostone beds are recorded in each of the 500 metre depth Norham Core (near Berwick-upon-Tweed) and from a 520 metre thick field section at Burnmouth. The beds are laterally extensive, over ˜1 km, although individual units do not appear to correlate between the core and the field site. In the Norham Core dolostones comprise up to 14% of the succession. 17% of the beds contain marginal marine fossils: Spirorbis, rare orthocones, brachiopods and putative marine sharks. More common fauna include ostracods, bivalves, plants, eurypterids, gastropods and sarcopterygian fish, which are interpreted as brackish to freshwater tolerant. Bioturbation is fairly common with Serpula colonies within dolostone beds and Chondrites burrowing down from the base of dolostone beds. Some rare units in the field section have a bulbous bed surface and preserve tree root traces

  17. Multiple palaeokarst horizons in the Lower Palaeozoic of Baltoscandia challenging the dogma of a deep epicontinental sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehnert, O.; Calner, M.; Ahlberg, P.; Harper, D. A.

    2012-04-01

    Several prominent palaeokarst surfaces have recently been detected in the Cambro-Ordovician sedimentary succession of Sweden. The oldest palaeokarst was found in autumn 2011 in Västergötland. An irregular palaeokarst cave with a breccia fill yielding large, angular Orsten clasts in a dark mud- to wackestone matrix is exposed beneath a karstic surface in the Cambrian Alum Shale Formation at Kakeled Quarry, Kinnekulle. The karstic surface occurs near the top of the Kakeled Limestone Bed that ranges from the upper Agnostus pisiformis into the Ctenopyge tumida Zone. The base of the cave is more than 1.4 m below this unconformity. A mass occurrence of Orusia lenticularis, a shallow-water brachiopod originally settling on hard substrates, in the karst pockets reflects deposition of the conglomeratic cover in extremely shallow marine environments. We interpret the widespread Orusia occurrences together with a brecciated or conglomeratic interval above an irregular surface in various Swedish locations as evidence for transgression after a major regression, regionally exposing the sea-floors of the Alum Shale Basin. A slightly younger karst surface is exposed in Tomten Quarry at Torbjörntorp, Västergötland. This resembles "Schrattenkalk" in the quarry wall but rock slabs cut vertical and parallel to bedding display a karren system, which reconstructed in 3D resembles "Napfkarren" or cockling features. Trilobites of the Ctenopyge bisulcata and C. linnarssoni zones have been recovered from the orsten bed just below the base of a 1-2 cm thick and irregular glauconitic packstone layer of the Bjørkåsholmen Formation (upper P. deltifer conodont Zone). The huge stratigraphic gap comprises the six uppermost trilobite zones of the Furongian plus most of the Tremadocian. Darriwilian conodonts with reworked older material within a limestone bed slightly above the glauconitic packstone point to yet another substantial gap in the succession. In the new Tingskullen core from

  18. Sedimentology, conodonts and ostracods of the Devonian - Carboniferous strata of the Anseremme railway bridge section, Dinant Basin, Belgium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casier, J.-G.; Mamet, B.; Preat, A.; Sandberg, C.A.

    2004-01-01

    Seven major carbonate microfacies are defined in the Devonian - Carboniferous (D/C) strata (50 m) of the Anseremme railway bridge section, south of Dinant. They permit recognition of several levels encompassing the Etroeungt and Hastie??re formations. "Bathymetric" sequences range from open marine, below the storm wave base, to semi-restricted lagoon. This sequence records a shallowing-upward trend of the relative sea level, from environments below the storm wave base to strongly eroded supraticial pre-evaporitic environments. Faunal components (echinoderms, brachiopods...) indicate open-marine domain for the first six microfacies located within the dysphoticeuphotic zone in relatively shallow waters. The textures of the rocks (mudstones to rudstones) associated with lamination characteristics indicate the position of the storm (SWB) and the fair-weather (FWWB) wave bases. Microfacies seven suggests a semi-restricted platform with salinity fluctuations from hypersaline brines to brackish waters. Thus, the boundary of the Etroeungt/Hastie??re formations is marked by an abrupt drop in sea level. Carbonate micro-conglomerates recording an important erosive phase and a sedimentary hiatus. The environment is again open marine in the upper part of the Hastie??re Formation. Our conclusion is that the Anseremme section is not a reliable continuous succession for the study of the D/C boundary. This confirms the VAN STEENWINKEL (1988, 1993 hypothesis based on other arguments. Conodont faunas demonstrate that the Devonian sequence spans the five youngest conodont zones, but that two of these zones are not represented. The Epinette Formation is dated as the youngest part of the Middle expansa Zone. Thus, the boundary with the Late praesulcata Zone probably coincides with the sharp sedimentological change at the base of the Etroeungt Formation, which is interpreted to belong entirely to this zone. The disconformably overlying basal bed 159 of the Hastie??re Formation is dated

  19. Diagenetic evolution and stable isotopes of Lower Permian platform marginal carbonates (Trogkofel Limestone, Carnic Alps, Austria)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaffhauser, Maria; Krainer, Karl; Sanders, Diethard Gerald; Spötl, Christoph

    2010-05-01

    and filling of fractures. Closely below the erosional surface at the top of the Trogkofel Limestone, the dolomite is characterized by vuggy porosity. The Tarvis Breccia, which represents coarse alluvial fan deposits, in turn, is thick-bedded, poorly sorted, typically clast-supported, and consists of angular lithoclasts embedded in a matrix of former lime mudstone. Both, matrix as well as lithoclasts, are dolomitized. Various types of cement (isopachous, botryoidal, microbialite, calcite spar), karstic cavity fills (isopachous cements, internal sediments), and replacement dolomites of the Trogkofel section, as well as of the Tarvis Breccia were analysed for their stable isotopic composition. δ18O and δ13C data produced so far allow to differentiate between replacement dolomites and saddle dolomite of the Trogkofel Limestone and the Tarvis Breccia. Saddle dolomite shows the most depleted oxygen isotope values, suggesting formation during relatively high temperatures. Carbon isotope values are invariably positive in all dolomite types indicating lacking influence of organic diagenesis on the alkalinity of the deep-burial pore water. Matrix dolomite from the Tarvis Breccia shows slightly positive δ18O values. Calcite cements show a wide range in δ18O values (ca. -1 to -7 permil VPDB), which overlaps the composition of unaltered brachiopod shells (ca. -3 permil VPDB). Oxygen isotope values of calcite cements reveal a trend towards depleted δ18O values. This trend is reflecting most likely increasing temperature.

  20. Geology of the Cupsuptic quadrangle, Maine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harwood, David S.

    1966-01-01

    The Cupsuptic quadrangle, in west-central Maine, lies in a relatively narrow belt of pre-Silurian rocks extending from the Connecticut River valley across northern New Hampshire to north-central Maine. The Albee Formation, composed of green, purple, and black phyllite with interbedded-quartzite, is exposed in the core of a regional anticlinorium overlain to the southeast by greenstone of the Oquossoc Formation which in turn is overlain by black slate of the Kamankeag Formation. In the northern part of the quadrangle the Albee Formation is overlain by black slate, feldspathic graywacke, and minor greenstone of the Dixville Formation. The Kamankeag Formation is dated as 1-ate Middle Ordovician by graptolites (zone 12) found near the base of the unit. The Dixville Formation is correlated with the Kamankeag Formation and Oquossoc Formation and is considered to be Middle Ordovician. The Albee Formation is considered to be Middle to Lower Ordovician from correlations with similar rocks in northeastern and southwestern Vermont. The Oquossoc and Kamankeag Formations are correlated with the Amonoosuc and Partridge Formations of northern New Hampshire. The pre-Silurian rocks are unconformably overlain by unnamed rocks of Silurian age in the southeast, west-central, and northwest ninths of the quadrangle. The basal Silurian units are boulder to cobble polymict conglomerate and quartz-pebble conglomerate of late Lower Silurian (Upper Llandovery) age. The overlying rocks are either well-bedded slate and quartzite, silty limestone, or arenaceous limestone. Thearenaceous limestone contains Upper Silurian (Lower Ludlow) brachiopods. The stratified rocks have been intruded by three stocks of biotite-muscovite quartz monzonite, a large body of metadiorite and associated serpentinite, smaller bodies of gabbro, granodiorite, and intrusive felsite, as well as numerous diabase and quartz monzonite dikes. The metadiorite and serpentinite, and possibly the gabbro and granodiorite are Late

  1. Stratigraphy of the Silurian outcrop belt on the east side of the Cincinnati Arch in Kentucky, with revisions in the nomenclature

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDowell, Robert C.

    1983-01-01

    Silurian rocks form a narrow arcuate outcrop belt about 100 mi long on the east side of the Cincinnati Arch in Kentucky. They range from as much as 300 ft thick in the north to a pinchout edge in the south. The nomenclature of this sequence is revised to reflect mappability and lithologic uniformity on the basis of detailed mapping at a scale of 1:24,000 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Kentucky Geological Survey. The Silurian rocks are divided into two parts: the Crab Orchard Group, raised in rank from Crab Orchard Formation and redefined, in the lower part of the Silurian section, and Bisher Dolomite in the upper part of the section. The Crab Orchard Group is subdivided into the Drowning Creek Formation (new name) at the base of the Silurian, overlain by the Alger Shale (adopted herein) south of Fleming County and by the Estill Shale (elevated to formational rank) north of Bath County. The Brassfield Member (reduced in rank from Brassfield Dolomite or Formation) and the Plum Creek Shale and Oldham Members of the former Crab Orchard Formation are included as members of the Drowning Creek; the Lulbegrud Shale, Waco, and Estill Shale Members of the former Crab Orchard Formation are now included in the Alger. The Drowning Creek Formation, 20 to 50 ft thick, is composed mainly of gray fine to coarse-grained dolomite with shale interbeds. The dolomite beds average several inches thick, with bedding surfaces that are locally smooth but generally irregular and are fossiliferous in many places; fossils include brachiopods, crinoid columnals, horn corals, colonial corals, trilobites, pelecypods, and bryozoans. The shale interbeds average several inches thick, except for its Plum Creek Shale Member which is entirely shale and as much as 12 ft thick, and are most abundant in the upper half of the formation. The members of the Drowning Creek intergrade and are indistinguishable in the northern part of the area. The Alger Shale, as much as 170 feet thick

  2. Direct Experiments on the Ocean Disposal of Fossil Fuel CO2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barry, James, P.

    2010-05-26

    effects of high CO2 waters on marine animals (Barry et al. 2008). This system is capable of controlling oxygen, pH, and temperature of seawater for use in studies of the physiological responses of animals under acidified conditions. We have investigated the tolerance of deep- and shallow-living crabs to high CO2 levels (Pane and Barry 2007; Pane et al. 2008), and are now working on brachiopods (Barry et al. in prep.) and a comparison of deep and shallow living sea urchins. This research program, supported in part by DoE has contributed to a number of other publications authored or co-authored by Barry (Caldeira et al. 2005; Brewer and Barry 2008; Barry et al. 2006, 2010a,b,c; National Research Council, in press; Hoffman et al. in press) as well as over 40 invited talks since 2004, including Congressional briefings and testimony at U.S. Senate Hearings on Ocean Acidification. Through the grant period, the research emphasis shifted from studies of the effects of direct deep-sea carbon dioxide sequestration on deep-sea animals, to a broader conceptual framework of the effects of ocean acidification (whether purposeful or passive) on the physiology and survival of deep and shallow living marine animals. We feel that this has been a very productive program and are grateful to DoE for its support.

  3. The Late Ordovician Extinction: How it became the best understood of the five major extinctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehan, P.

    2003-04-01

    epicontinental seas were drained in many places. An extensive record of changes of all the major faunal groups has been established and work continues. Compilations by Sepkoski and Benton established the Ordovician extinction as one of the five major Phanerozoic extinctions, ranking second only to the end Permian extinction in terms of taxonomic loss. However, as the ecologic changes caused by the extinction became better understood it was realized that of the five extinction events the Ordovician extinction caused the least ecologic perturbation. Given the interest and extensive study extinction events have generated in the last 20 years it is surprising the oldest of the five extinctions has the most well understood cause and the best global record of the faunal changes. In fact only one other extinction event (K/T event) has a widely accepted cause, darkness associated with an impact event. The general faunal changes allow at least a preliminary comparison of two events with differing causes. The most important factor promoting survival in both events is wide geographic distribution. Other ecologic factors differ considerably between the events. Extinction was very high in epicontinental seas during the Ordovician but not in the Cretaceous. Cretaceous organisms that could survive several months without food (such as animals with low metabolic rates, or larval stages that included dormancy) preferentially survived, while this was not a factor in the Ordovician when low metabolic rates of animals like brachiopods and echinoderms provided little advantage. Animals capable of feeding on detritus during the loss of sunlight preferentially survived the Cretaceous extinction, but this was not a buffer to extinction in the Ordovician.

  4. The Cannery Formation--Devonian to Early Permian arc-marginal deposits within the Alexander Terrane, Southeastern Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karl, Susan M.; Layer, Paul W.; Harris, Anita G.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Murchey, Benita L.

    2011-01-01

    The Cannery Formation consists of green, red, and gray ribbon chert, siliceous siltstone, graywacke-chert turbidites, and volcaniclastic sandstone. Because it contains early Permian fossils at and near its type area in Cannery Cove, on Admiralty Island in southeastern Alaska, the formation was originally defined as a Permian stratigraphic unit. Similar rocks exposed in Windfall Harbor on Admiralty Island contain early Permian bryozoans and brachiopods, as well as Mississippian through Permian radiolarians. Black and green bedded chert with subordinate lenses of limestone, basalt, and graywacke near Kake on Kupreanof Island was initially correlated with the Cannery Formation on the basis of similar lithology but was later determined to contain Late Devonian conodonts. Permian conglomerate in Keku Strait contains chert cobbles inferred to be derived from the Cannery Formation that yielded Devonian and Mississippian radiolarians. On the basis of fossils recovered from a limestone lens near Kake and chert cobbles in the Keku Strait area, the age of the Cannery Formation was revised to Devonian and Mississippian, but this revision excludes rocks in the type locality, in addition to excluding bedded chert on Kupreanof Island east of Kake that contains radiolarians of Late Pennsylvanian and early Permian age. The black chert near Kake that yielded Late Devonian conodonts is nearly contemporaneous with black chert interbedded with limestone that also contains Late Devonian conodonts in the Saginaw Bay Formation on Kuiu Island. The chert cobbles in the conglomerate in Keku Strait may be derived from either the Cannery Formation or the Saginaw Bay Formation and need not restrict the age of the Cannery Formation, regardless of their source. The minimum age of the Cannery Formation on both Admiralty Island and Kupreanof Island is constrained by the stratigraphically overlying fossiliferous Pybus Formation, of late early and early late Permian age. Because bedded radiolarian

  5. Grainstones and cementstone mounds: The Trogkofel summit section (Lower Permian, Carnic Alps, Austria).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaffhauser, M.; Sanders, D.; Krainer, K.

    2009-04-01

    are overgrown by abundant, thick fringes and botryoids of fibrous cement that is interpreted as calcitized aragonite cement. In addition, brachiopods, crustose red algae, and a few solitary and colonial rugose corals are typical. By volume, the former aragonite cement comprises the majority of the mounds. Intrinsic pores within the cementstone fabrics typically are filled by micropeloidal grainstone and/or by lime mudstone. The Trogkofel Limestone is locally dolomitized. Replacement dolomites show a wide range of crystal shapes and textures, but overall comprise (a) finely-crystalline, limpid dolostone of xenotopic or hypidiotopic fabrics that broadly mimick the texture of replaced sediment and cements, (b) coarse-crystalline fabrics of hypidiotopic to idiotopic, limpid or optically zoned dolomite, and (c) replacement saddle dolomite. The Trogkofel Limestone is riddled by karstic dykes and caverns that are mainly filled by, both or either of, geopetally-laminated red lime mudstone, terrigenous red sandstones, or thick fringes of fibrous cement. In the karstic cavity fills, packages of convolute geopetal lamination and brecciated internal sediments (internal seismites) overlain by infills with non-convolute lamination, fracture of fibrous cements, and dykes filled by multi-phase fracture breccias record tectonism during or after deposition of the Trogkofel Limestone. The Trogkofel Limestone is capped by a truncation surface which, in turn, is overlain by an interval of extremely poorly sorted, thick-bedded breccias with a former matrix of lime mudstone ("Trogkofel Breccia"). Both the components and the matrix of the Trogkofel Breccia are dolomitized. We interpret the facies and facies architecture of the eastern cliff section of Trogkofel as succession from the seaward side of a "grainstone-dominated" platform margin with cementstone mounds. The lack of clear-cut vertical trends in prevalent facies suggests that the platform margin developed mainly by aggradation. The

  6. Lower Cretaceous Puez key-section in the Dolomites - towards the mid-Cretaceous super-greenhouse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukeneder, A.; Halásová, E.; Rehákova, D.; Józsa, Š.; Soták, J.; Kroh, A.; Jovane, L.; Florindo, F.; Sprovieri, M.; Giorgioni, M.; Lukeneder, S.

    2012-04-01

    dtirol' in Bozen, Southern Tyrol. Producing major results with a broad impact requires using tools such as facies analysis supported by lithological, sedimentological and chemical characteristics, isotope and magnetic properties as well as fossil record (ammonites, belemnites, brachiopods, echinoids, planktonic foraminiferas, radiolarians, nannofossils, calcareous dinoflagellates, calpionellids). Foraminiferal study provides the zonal subdivision of the Puez section from Valanginian - Hauterivian gorbachikellids and praehedbergelids (Hedbergella semielongata Zone), Barremo-Aptian praehedbergelids (Blesusciana kuznetzove Zone), Aptian hedbergellids of occulta - aptiana - praetrocoidea group, Early Late Aptian pseudo-planispiral foraminifera (Praehedbergella luterbacheri and Globigerinelloides ferreolensis Zones), important marker species of Hedbergella trocoidea and Paraticinella bejaaouaensis for the Late Aptian zone, Early Albian microperforate hedbergellids (Hedbergella planispira Zone), Mid Albian ticinellids (Ticinella primula Zone), advanced ticinellids like Ticinella roberti etc. (Biticinella breggiensis Zone), Latest Albian rotalliporids (Rotalipora appeninica Zone) up to Early Cenonanian appearance of Thalmanninella (Rotalipora) globotruncanoides. Results of this integrated study will be used for both, the precise biostratigraphy of the sequence studied as well as for the paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Lukeneder A. 2012. New biostratigraphic data on an Upper Hauterivian-Upper Barremian ammonite assemblage from the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy). Cretaceous Research. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.11.002 Lukeneder A. 2011. The Biancone and Rosso Ammonitico facies of the northern Trento Plateau (Dolomites, Southern Alps; Italy). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museum Wien, Serie A, 112, 9-33. Lukeneder A. 2010. Lithostratigraphic definition and stratotype for the Puez Formation: formalisation of the Lower Cretaceous in the Dolomites (S. Tyrol, Italy). Austrian Journals

  7. Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Vietnam, with the description of forty-two new species and three new genera

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Achterberg, Cornelis; Long, Khuat Dang

    2010-01-01

    (Chou & Sharkey, 1989), comb. n., Therophilus tanycoleosus (Chen & Yang, 2006), comb. n., Therophilus tonghuaensis (Chen & Yang, 2006), comb. n., Therophilus tongmuensis (Chen & Yang, 2006), comb. n., Therophilus transcasperatus (Chen & Yang, 2006), comb. n., Troticus latiabdominalis (Bhat, 1978),comb. n., Zelodia absoluta (Chen & Yang, 1998), comb. n., Zelodia achterbergi (Chen & Yang, 2006), comb. n., Zelodia albopilosella (Cameron, 1908), comb. n., Zelodia chromoptera (Roman, 1913), comb. n., Zelodia nihonensis (Sharkey, 1996), comb. n., Zelodia cordata (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia diluta (Turner, 1918), comb. n., Zelodia dravida (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia exornata (Turner, 1918), comb. n., Zelodia longidorsata (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia longiptera (Yang & Chen, 2006), comb. n., Zelodia maculipes (Cameron, 1911), comb. n., Zelodia nigra (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia philippinensis (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia reticulosa (Yang & Chen, 2006), comb. n., Zelodia quadrifossulata (Enderlein, 1920), comb. n., Zelodia ruida (Sharkey, 1996), comb. n., Zelodia similis (Bhat & Gupta, 1977), comb. n., Zelodia penetrans (Smith, 1860), comb. n. and Zelodia varipes (van Achterberg & Maetô, 1990), comb. n. PMID:21594134

  8. Petrography, Geochemistry and Proposed Genesis of Ordovician Oolitic Iron Formation Members of the Lashkarak Formation, Eastern Alborz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansoore Maghsoudloo Mahalli

    2016-07-01

    , Iran. Logistical and financial support was provided by the Research Grant to senior author. We are grateful to SarCheshmeh Copper Complex for XRF analyses and IMPERC for XRD measurements. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Ghobadipour for SEM analysis in National Museum of Wales, Great Britain. References Ghobadi Pour, M., Popov, L.E., Kebriaee-Zadeh, M.R. and Baars C.H., 2011. Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian Brachiopods associated with the Neseuretus bio-facies, Eastern Alborz Mountains, Iran. Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists, 42(3: 263-283. Maynard, J.B., 1983. Geochemistry of sedimentary ore deposits. Springer-Verlag, NewYork, 382 pp. Maynard, J.B., 1986. Geochemistry of oolitic iron ores, an electron microprobe study. Economic Geology, 81(8: 1473-1483. Mucke, A.T. and Farshad, F., 2005. Whole-rock and mineralogical composition of Phanerozoic ooidal ironstones: Comparison and differentiation of types and subtypes. Ore Geology Reviews, 26(2: 227-262. Petranek, J. and Van Houton, F.B., 1997. Phanerozoic ooidal ironstone. Czech Geological Survey, Special Papers 7: 70 pp. Young, T.P., 1989. Eustatically controlled ooidal ironstone deposition: facies relationships of the Ordovician open-shelf ironstones of Western Europe. In: T.P. Young and W.E.G. Taylor (Editors, Phanerozoic Ironstones. Geological Society of London, Special Publication, 46(1: 51–64.

  9. Siberia, the wandering northern terrane, and its changing geography through the Palaeozoic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cocks, L. Robin M.; Torsvik, Trond H.

    2007-05-01

    The old terrane of Siberia occupied a very substantial area in the centre of today's political Siberia and also adjacent areas of Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, and northwestern China. Siberia's location within the Early Neoproterozoic Rodinia Superterrane is contentious (since few if any reliable palaeomagnetic data exist between about 1.0 Ga and 540 Ma), but Siberia probably became independent during the breakup of Rodinia soon after 800 Ma and continued to be so until very near the end of the Palaeozoic, when it became an integral part of the Pangea Supercontinent. The boundaries of the cratonic core of the Siberian Terrane (including the Patom area) are briefly described, together with summaries of some of the geologically complex surrounding areas, and it is concluded that all of the Palaeozoic underlying the West Siberian Basin (including the Ob-Saisan Surgut area), Tomsk Terrane, Altai-Sayan Terranes (including Salair, Kuznetsk Alatau, Batenov, Kobdin and West Sayan), Ertix Terrane, Barguzin Terrane, Tuva-Mongol Terrane, Central Mongolia Terrane Assemblage, Gobi Altai and Mandalovoo Terranes, Okhotsk Terrane and much of the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma region all formed parts of peri-Siberia, and thus rotated with the main Siberian Craton as those areas were progressively accreted to the main Siberian Terrane at various times during the latest Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic. The Ertix Terrane is a new term combining what has been termed the "Altay Terrane" or "NE Xinjiang" area of China, and the Baytag, Baaran and Bidz terranes of Mongolia. The Silurian Tuvaella brachiopod fauna is restricted only to today's southern parts of peri-Siberia. Thus, allowing for subsequent rotation, the fauna occurs only in the N of the Siberian Terrane, and, as well as being a helpful indicator of what marginal terranes made up peri-Siberia, is distinctive as being the only Silurian fauna known from northern higher latitudes globally. In contrast, the other terranes adjacent to peri

  10. Comparative EPMA and μXRF methods for mapping micro-scale distribution of iodine in bio-carbonates of the Callovian-Oxfordian clayey formation at Bure, Eastern part of the Paris Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lerouge, C.; Claret, F.; Wille, G.; Beny, C.; Gaucher, E.C.; Tournassat, C.; Denecke, M.A.; Falkenberg, G.; Ramboz, C.; Giffaut, E.

    2010-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. A pluri-disciplinary approach was applied on carbonate shells of the Callovian-Oxfordian (160 Ma) clayey formation from the ANDRA Underground Research Laboratory at Bure. The overall aim of this natural analog investigation was to define the iodine speciation and immobilization mechanisms by carbonates in a natural carbonate-bearing clayey formation. In this study, sequential chemical extraction data have shown that ∼66 % of the low iodine content of the clay stone (1-5 ppm) is associated with the carbonate fraction and ∼33 % with organic matter. EPMA analyses have been performed on detrital and different generations of diagenetic carbonates observed in thin sections and have provided evidence of low and heterogeneously distributed iodine contents measured in bio-clasts (up to 1300 ppm), but also in less amounts in diagenetic euhedral calcite and dolomite (up to 620 ppm). EPMA analyses to measure iodine is especially challenging due to spectral interference between calcium K and iodine L emission lines and to the relatively high detection limits (∼150 ppm). We therefore applied a synchrotron micro-focused beam at energies above the I K absorption in the present study. Two entire and centimeter-sized shells, a bivalve and a brachiopod (Rhynchonella) were separated in a clay stone sample from Gallery level of the URL at Bure. They were cut along two perpendicular directions to obtain thin polished sections of the bio-clast shells. A dry polishing procedure was performed to avoid any partial dissolution of calcite and done by hand to avoid any heating and volatilization of iodine. Combined results from optical microscopy, SEM, cathodoluminescence and infra-red spectrometry performed on both bio-clasts showed that the Rhynchonella shell has a well-preserved organic structure and dominantly consists of bio-calcite, whereas the bivalve shell is entirely recrystallized into diagenetic calcite, with inclusions of