Effect of eriodictyol on glucose uptake and insulin resistance in vitro

Eriodictyol [2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one] is a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Because inflammation and oxidative stress play critical roles in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, the present study was designed to explore whether eriodictyol has therapeutic potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The results show that eriodictyol increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in both human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells (HepG2) and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes under high-glucose conditions. Eriodictyol also up-regulated the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 (PPARγ2) and adipocyte-specific fatty acid-binding protein (aP2) as well as the protein levels of PPARγ2 in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, it reactivated Akt in HepG2 cells with high-glucose-induced insulin resistance. This response was strongly inhibited by pretreatment with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002, indicating that eriodictyol increased Akt phosphorylation by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. These results imply that eriodictyol can increase glucose uptake and improve insulin resistance, suggesting that it may possess antidiabetic properties.     

Hygroscopic salts on the leaf surface as a possible cause of forest decline symptoms

Forest decline has been observed for about 20 years, especially in Central Europe and eastern North America. Whereas the direct effects of acid rain, acid fog and several trace gases on aerial parts of trees have been investigated, deposited atmospheric particles on leaf surfaces have been regarded as inert so far. By conductance measurements on the surface of coniferous needles an invisible wetness was observed over extended times. Washing experiments revealed this to be due to hygroscopic salts on the leaf surface, which will absorb water vapour mostly from leaf transpiration. The possible influence of salts on the microclimatic conditions on the leaf surface is outlined and it is concluded that they will act similar to a wick or a drying agent. This could form a direct link between air pollution and those forest decline symptoms which are connected with the water status of the trees.     

Green tea polyphenol extract regulates the expression of genes involved in glucose uptake and insulin signaling in rats fed a high fructose diet

Green tea has antidiabetic, antiobesity, and anti-inflammatory activities in animal models, but the molecular mechanisms of these effects have not been fully understood. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate the relative expression levels and the effects of green tea (1 and 2 g solid extract/kg diet) on the expression of glucose transporter family genes (Glut1/Slc2a1, Glut2/Slc2a2, Glut3/Slc2a3, and Glut4/Slc2a4) and insulin signaling pathway genes (Ins1, Ins2, Insr, Irs1, Irs2, Akt1, Grb2, Igf1, Igf2, Igf1r, Igf2r, Gsk3b, Gys1, Pik3cb, Pik3r1, Shc1, and Sos1) in liver and muscle of rats fed a high-fructose diet known to induce insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Glut2 and Glut4 were the major Glut mRNAs in rat liver and muscle, respectively. Green tea extract (1 g) increased Glut1, Glut4, Gsk3b, and Irs2 mRNA levels by 110, 160, 30, and 60% in the liver, respectively, and increased Irs1 by 80% in the muscle. Green tea extract (2 g) increased Glut4, Gsk3b, and Pik3cb mRNA levels by 90, 30, and 30% but decreased Shc1 by 60% in the liver and increased Glut2, Glut4, Shc1, and Sos1 by 80, 40, 60, and 50% in the muscle. This study shows that green tea extract at 1 or 2 g/kg diet regulates gene expression in the glucose uptake and insulin signaling pathway in rats fed a fructose-rich diet.     

Decoupling of microbial glucose uptake and mineralization in soil

The rate of organic matter turnover in soil is a critical component of the terrestrial carbon cycle and is frequently estimated from measurements of respiration. For estimates to be reliable requires that isotopically labelled substrate uptake into the soil microbial biomass and its subsequent mineralization occurs almost simultaneously (i.e. no time delay). Here we investigated this paradigm using glucose added to an agricultural soil. Immediately after collection from the field, various concentrations of ¹⁴C-labeled glucose (1 μM to 10 mM) were added to soil and the depletion from the soil solution measured at 1–60 min after substrate addition. ¹⁴CO₂ production from the mineralization of glucose was simultaneously measured. The microbial uptake of glucose from soil solution was concentration-dependent and kinetic analysis suggests the operation of at least two distinct glucose transport systems of differing affinity. At glucose concentrations reflecting those naturally present in the soil solution (54±10 μM), the half-time (t_1/2) of exogenous glucose was extremely rapid at ca. 30 s. At higher glucose concentrations (100 μM to 10 mM), the t_1/2 values for the high-affinity carrier were altered little, but increasing proportions of glucose were taken up by the low affinity transport system. Glucose mineralization by the soil microbial community showed a significant delay after its uptake into the microbial biomass suggesting a decoupling of glucose uptake and subsequent respiration, possibly by dilution of glucose in labile metabolite pools. By fitting a double first order kinetic equation to the mineralization results we estimated the t_1/2 for the first rapid phase of respiration at natural soil solution glucose concentrations to be 6–8 min, but at least 87% of the added glucose was retained in the microbial biomass prior to mineralization. Our results suggest that in this soil the soil solution glucose pool turns over 100–1000 times each day, an order of magnitude faster than when determined from measurements of mineralization. These results imply that traditional isotopic based measurements of substrate turnover measured using CO₂ may vastly underestimate their rate of cycling in soil.     

Leaf chlorophyll content as a possible diagnostic mean for the evaluation of plant nitrogen uptake from the soil

The influence of temperature, irradiance, and soil humidity on the nitrogen (N) concentration in some organs, chlorophyll in the leaves, N uptake and accumulation of dry matter in plants of winter wheat was investigated. In the plants grown under equal initial N supplement but in contrasting conditions of the evironment, the correlation between concentration of total N and chlorophyll in the leaves was absent. No interrelationship was found between concentration of total N in the leaves and accumulation of N and dry matter in the whole plants. There is a close correlation between chlorophyll in the leaves, accumulation of total N, and dry matter of the whole plant. It was concluded that chlorophyll is a more stable informative parameter for the estimation of the N uptake from the soil under different growth conditions than leaf N concentration.     

植物体对硝态氮的吸收转运机制研究进展

硝态氮是高等植物重要的氮素营养,直接影响植物的生长。植物根系吸收硝态氮并向地上部转运的机制一直是研究者十分关注的问题。近几年的深入研究使得新的现象与结论被揭示,推动了我们对植物体吸收转运硝态氮生理与分子机制的认识。本文综述了近年来国内外关于植物硝态氮吸收转运的生理及分子机制的相关研究结果。通过整理归类植物硝酸盐吸收相关的生理学数据,介绍了影响植物吸收硝态氮的各种因素。基于膜转运体在植物硝态氮吸收转运过程中发挥的重要作用,本文还重点介绍参与该过程的四大基因家族的成员及功能,即硝酸盐转运体1(NRT1)、硝酸盐转运体2(NRT2)、氯离子通道(CLC)和s型阴离子通道(SLAC),以期为后续研究者提供一个较为全面的理论依据。     

Grazing as a cause of lime precipitation in a natraqualf

Abstract

The movement of water from the watertable to the atmosphere is one of the most common causes for CaCO₃ accumulation on top of the soil. In the Flooding Pampa, the increase in water evaporation due mainly to the reduction of soil cover as a result of grazing has given place to pulses of topsoil salinization. We investigated the influence of this process on lime precipitation in the upper horizon. Data from continuous grazed and ungrazed areas were considered. The relative ion concentrations in the upper horizon of the ungrazed area and in the phreatic water were very similar. Under grazing, absolute ion concentration was larger than in the water table. The anionic constituents did not increase directly and linearly. Chlorides and sulfates showed increments. The carbonate proportion did not change, but bicarbonates showed a relative decrease. This latter reduction could be related to the precipitation of CaCOs in the uppper horizon of the soil. In agreement, the Ion Activity Product (IAP) of the calcite of the soil solution indicated conditions for saturation of CaCO₃ in the grazed area. Conversely, the IAP showed CaCO₃ undersaturation in the ungrazed area. In spite of the evidence for the ocurrence of lime precipitation, the top horizon did not show measurable lime under grazing. This fact could be explained by considering both the usual time taken by CaCO₃ precipitation, and the recent and episodic process of top soil salinization in this region after the introduction of livestock.     

Magnesium fixation—a possible cause of negative yield responses to lime applications

Abstract

Negative yield responses are common when highly leached soils are limed to neutrality. A number of explanations have been proposed, but very few have been experimentally verified or are entirely acceptable. In this paper the problem is re‐examined and a new possible causal mechanism is proposed.

Data assembled from the literature are used to demonstrate that a consistently observed reduction in Mg uptake by plants when soils are limed to neutrality is often accompanied by a generally ignored reduction in exchangeable soil Mg. Using data for soils of North American and African origin, it is demonstrated that when the soils were limed with pure Ca sources, the level of exchangeable soil Mg was reduced between 36 and 93%. Furthermore, after treatment with a Mg containing liming material, initial increases in the level of exchangeable Mg were followed by similarly large decreases when the soil pH approaches neutrality.

The applicability of known Mg fixation mechanisms is briefly discussed and the suggestion is made that Mg fixation may offer an acceptable explanation for some of the yield depressions observed on liming to neutrality. Research is currently in progress to gather sufficient data to answer the many questions raised.     

Glucose oxidase activity in soil and its possible interference in assays of cellulase activity

The occurrence of naturally-occurring glucose oxidase activity in a soil collected at a depth of 0–8 cm under tussock has been indicated. This activity was probably responsible for utilization of some of the glucose added to a system of soil, buffer and toluene that was incubated at 30°C; no loss of added glucose was apparent at 50°C.The cellulase activity of this soil was assessed by measuring rates of hydrolysis of added cellulose with Somogyi and anthrone reagents in systems of soil, buffer and toluene at 30 and 50°C. The production of reducing sugars was approximately linear over the first 48 or 72 h of incubation but appeared to decline subsequently at both temperatures. Interference by the activity of the naturally-occurring glucose oxidase at 30°C is suggested. Interference by glucose oxidase appears less likely at 50°C because of the apparent stability of added glucose at this temperature and the instability of added glucose oxidase. An incubation period of 48 h at 30°C appears generally satisfactory for assaying the cellulase activity of this soil.The possible role of glucose oxidase in interfering in assays of other soil enzymes in which the production of glucose is measured is discussed.     

Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization

When measured by extent and intensity, urbanization is one of the most homogenizing of all major human activities. Cities homogenize the physical environment because they are built to meet the relatively narrow needs of just one species, our own. Also, cities are maintained for centuries in a disequilibrium state from the local natural environment by the importation of vast resources of energy and materials. Consequently, as cities expand across the planet, biological homogenization increases because the same “urban-adaptable” species become increasingly widespread and locally abundant in cities across the planet. As urbanization often produces a local gradient of disturbance, one can also observe a gradient of homogenization. Synanthropic species adapted to intensely modified built habitats at the urban core are “global homogenizers”, found in cities worldwide. However, many suburban and urban fringe habitats are occupied by native species that become regionally widespread. These suburban adapters typically consist of early successional plants and “edge” animal species such as mesopredator mammals, and ground-foraging, omnivorous and frugivorous birds that can utilize gardens, forest fragments and many other habitats available in the suburbs. A basic conservation challenge is that urban biota is often quite diverse and very abundant. The intentional and unintentional importation of species adapted to urban habitats, combined with many food resources imported for human use, often produces local species diversity and abundance that is often equal to or greater than the surrounding landscape. With the important exception of low-income areas, urban human populations often inhabit richly cultivated suburban habitats with a relatively high local floral and faunal diversity and/or abundance without awareness of the global impoverishment caused by urbanization. Equally challenging is that, because so many urban species are immigrants adapting to city habitats, urbanites of all income levels become increasingly disconnected from local indigenous species and their natural ecosystems. Urban conservation should therefore focus on promoting preservation and restoration of local indigenous species.     

Earthworm activity as a cause of splash erosion in a Luxembourg forest

In a mixed oak—beech forest in the Keuper region of Luxembourg, large parts of the forest floor are free of litter in the spring and summer months. At these sites splash erosion and erosion by overland flow can take place. Of the causes for the origin of the bare soil surface in this forest, leaf litter breakdown by earthworms, especially Lumbricus terrestris (L), is the most important. This earthworm collects leaves from the surface and pulls them into its hole. An investigation of the variables that determine the presence of earthworms and the growth of the litter-free area was carried out in 1978 and 1979.Statistical analysis of the data showed that the food-supply for Lumbricus terrestris was the most important factor in determining the pattern of bare soil exposed on the floor. The presence of hawthorn (Crataegus Laevigata) and absence of beech (Fagus sylvatica) have a positive influence on the presence of Lumbricus terrestris and the yearly maximum of bare soil surface.     

Metabolic fate of glucose on 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with grape seed-derived procyanidin extract (GSPE). Comparison with the effects of insulin

In this paper we investigate the effects of a grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) on the metabolic fate of glucose in adipocytes. Differentiated 3T3-L1 cells were treated with 140 mg/L GSPE or 100 nM insulin for a short period (1 h, acute treatment) or for a long period (15 h, chronic treatment). 2-Deoxy-[1-(3)H]glucose uptake and [1-(14)C]glucose incorporation into cells, glycogen, and lipid were measured. We found that GSPE mimicked the anabolic effects of insulin but there were several important differences. GSPE stimulated glycogen synthesis less than insulin. After chronic exposure, GSPE induced a higher incorporation of glucose into lipid, mainly due to the increase in glucose directed to glycerol synthesis. Our main conclusions, therefore, are that GSPE has insulinomimetic properties and activates glycogen and lipid synthesis. However, the differences between the effects of GSPE and the effects of insulin indicate that GSPE uses mechanisms complementary to those of insulin signaling pathways to bring about these effects.     

天然富硒土壤上三种蔬菜对硒的吸收与转化差异

【目的】研究对硒 (Se) 不同敏感性蔬菜对天然富硒土 (Se ≥ 0.4 mg/kg) 中硒的吸收和转化差异,为富硒土壤生产富硒蔬菜提供理论与技术指导。【方法】以大蒜、芥菜和菠菜三种蔬菜为试验材料,在全硒含量为0.29、0.58、0.98、2.07 mg/kg的四种土壤上进行了盆栽试验 (依次标记为Se_0.29、Se_0.58、Se_0.98、Se_2.07),并测定四种土壤中不同形态硒的含量。芥菜和菠菜于生长40 d、53 d、68 d和82 d后取样,测定蔬菜可食部分硒含量;于生长97 d后收获,分为根部和地上部。大蒜于生长42 d、68 d、82 d、120 d后取样,测定地上部硒含量;于生长165 d后收获,分为根部、鳞茎和叶。测定供试蔬菜总硒含量、有机硒含量,计算不同硒含量土壤上蔬菜对硒的吸收和转化系数。【结果】三种蔬菜中芥菜的生长对土壤硒最为敏感,芥菜可食部位生物量鲜重以Se_0.29处理最高,菠菜和大蒜均以Se_0.58处理最高,与Se_2.07处理均达显著差异。三种蔬菜地上部硒含量在整个生育期总体呈现增加的趋势,不同生育期均表现为大蒜 > 芥菜 > 菠菜。收获期三种蔬菜各部位的硒含量随着土壤硒含量 (0.29～2.07 mg/kg) 的增加而增加,表现为Se_2.07 > Se_0.98 > Se_0.58 > Se_0.29,Se_2.07处理的菠菜地上部和地下部硒含量分别是其Se_0.29处理的8.63倍和7.10倍,芥菜是12.25倍和23.29倍,Se_2.07处理大蒜鳞茎和叶部硒含量是Se_0.29处理的39.92倍和4.90倍;可食部位硒含量为大蒜 (7.25～289 μg/kg) > 芥菜 (1.22～14.9 μg/kg) > 菠菜 (0.73～6.30 μg/kg),均表现为地下部 > 地上部,Se_2.07处理菠菜根部硒含量是茎叶的4.80倍,芥菜是12.06倍,大蒜是8.22倍。在富硒土壤Se_0.98和Se_2.07处理条件下,大蒜和芥菜能从土壤中富集硒,吸收系数是菠菜的3.06～8.47倍和1.58～5.8倍,均达到了富硒蔬菜标准 (≥ 0.01 mg/kg)。三种蔬菜可食部位有机硒含量占总硒比例为73.5%～84.7%,并随土壤硒含量的增加而增加,其中Se_2.07与Se_0.29处理差异显著;蔬菜硒含量不但与土壤总硒含量相关,而且与有效态硒含量呈显著正相关。【结论】蔬菜种类和土壤硒含量均影响蔬菜硒的吸收、转化和富集。三种蔬菜对土壤硒的敏感性以芥菜最强。蔬菜硒含量和可食用部位有机硒的转化率均随着土壤硒含量的增加而增加,与土壤总硒含量和有效态硒含量呈显著正相关。富硒能力为大蒜 > 芥菜 > 菠菜,在天然富硒土壤上生长的大蒜和芥菜硒含量易达到富硒蔬菜标准,而菠菜未显示出富硒能力。因此,虽然土壤硒含量高影响了大蒜和芥菜的生长,但大蒜和芥菜具有较强的将硒转移到可食部位的能力,可作为富硒蔬菜生产。     

大田淹水对夏玉米养分吸收与转运的影响

选用郑单958(ZD958)和登海605(DH605)为试验材料,在大田条件下研究淹水对夏玉米氮、磷、钾养分吸收与运转特性的影响。结果表明,淹水胁迫显著降低夏玉米的氮、磷、钾养分积累量,三叶期淹水6 d 对其影响最显著,ZD958和DH605成熟期的氮、磷、钾养分积累量较CK分别减少了50.55%、36.50%、27.21%和42.86%、45.50%、32.53%。淹水胁迫后各器官的养分积累量较CK显著降低,但茎秆和叶片中养分的分配比例较CK升高,籽粒的养分分配比例显著下降,且茎秆和叶片中的养分含量较CK升高,而籽粒中的养分含量较CK显著下降;淹水胁迫后夏玉米各器官的干物质积累量显著降低,三叶期淹水6 d对其影响最显著,ZD958和DH605成熟期的茎秆、叶片、籽粒的干重较CK分别下降25.93%、30.14%、43.39%和28.28%、32.27%、50.28%。淹水胁迫后茎秆和叶片中的养分积累量的降低主要是由于淹水胁迫后干物质积累量显著降低,茎秆和叶片的养分向籽粒的转移量显著降低。三叶期淹水的影响最显著,拔节期淹水次之,开花后10 d淹水影响较小,其影响随淹水胁迫时间的延长而加剧。     

Labile carbon and methane uptake as affected by tillage intensity in a Mollisol

Methane (CH₄) oxidation potential of soils decreases with cultivation, but limited information is available regarding the restoration of that capacity with implementation of reduced tillage practices. A study was conducted to assess the impact of tillage intensity on CH₄ oxidation and several C-cycling indices including total and active microbial biomass C (t-MBC, a-MBC), mineralizable C (C_min) and N (N_min), and aggregate-protected C. Intact cores and disturbed soil samples (0–5 and 5–15 cm) were collected from a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) rotation under moldboard-plow (MP), chisel-plow (CP) and no-till (NT) for 8 years. An adjacent pasture (<25 years) and secondary growth forest (>60 years) soils were also sampled as references. At all sites, soil was a Kokomo silty clay loam (mesic Typic Argiaquolls). Significant tillage effects on t-MBC and protected C were found in the 0–5 cm depth. Protected C, a measure of C retained within macro-aggregates and defined as the difference in C_min (CO₂ evolved in a 56 days incubation) between intact and sieved (<2 mm) soil samples, amounted to 516, 162 and 121 mg C kg⁻¹ soil in the 0–5 cm layer of the forest, pasture and NT soils, respectively. Protected C was negligible in the CP and MP soils. Methane uptake rate (μg CH₄-C kg⁻¹ soil per day, under ambient CH₄) was higher in forest (2.70) than in pasture (1.22) and cropland (0.61) soils. No significant tillage effect on CH₄ oxidation rate was detected (MP: 0.82; CP: 0.41; NT: 0.61). These results underscore the slow recovery of the CH₄ uptake capacity of soils and suggest that, to have an impact, tillage reduction may need to be implemented for several decades.     

胰岛素和葡萄糖对水牛体外受精早期胚胎发育的影响

探讨了不同浓度的胰岛素和葡萄糖对水牛体外受精早期胚胎体外发育的影响。结果表明,添加胰岛素浓度为5μg/mL时,水牛早期胚胎的囊胚发育率、囊胚细胞数及冷冻-解冻后胚胎的孵化率都显著高于对照组及其他浓度组(P<0.05);加入葡萄糖的浓度大于6 mm o l/L时显著影响水牛早期胚胎发育到囊胚及孵化囊胚的阶段(P<0.05);联合添加胰岛素和葡萄糖时能显著提高水牛早期胚胎的孵化囊胚率、总囊胚率和囊胚细胞数(P<0.05)。实验证实,浓度为5μg/mL胰岛素能促进水牛体外受精早期胚胎的发育;在TCM-199中单独添加葡萄糖是不必要的,联合添加葡萄糖和胰岛素能促进水牛体外受精早期胚胎的发育。     

Preliminary study of the interference of surface objects and rainfall in overland flow resistance

Linear superposition approach, which states that composite resistance of different types of roughness elements equals to the sum of individual resistance, has been widely adopted in the study of overland flow hydraulics. The approach assumes that different roughness elements act independently in the flow. This seems to be implausible because roughness elements in shallow overland flow are often close to and interfering with each other. The interference, such as that between rainfall impact and stone generated vertex, may strengthen or restrain flow resistance on one another. To examine this possible interference in flow resistance, a set of flume experiments using surface objects and rainfall as roughness elements were conducted. Since the flow resistance due to each element cannot be measured directly, the linear superposition equation had to be rewritten using friction factor increment as variable. The experiments measured different friction factor increments in flows where Reynolds number was less than 2000 and Froude number less than 2. The result shows that the interference between rainfall and surface roughness is significant and the composite resistance does not statistically equal to the sum of individual resistance. The linear superposition approach is hence invalid in the case of rainfall and surface roughness elements in overland flow resistance.     

Differential zinc uptake and transport in sorghum varieties suited for different moisture regimes

Zinc absorption and transport were examined in M‐35 a drought resistant, and M‐47, a drought susceptible sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) cultivar. Excised roots were employed to study the mechanisms of uptake at cellular level in these varieties.

The absorption over 0 to 130 μM ZnCl₂ followed a biphasic pattern with a second rise at 90 μM, a feature which was not observed in the absorption by roots of intact seedlings. While there were no differences in the patterns of absorption in the two cultivars, the transport to shoot in M‐35 followed a slower rate up to 90 μM than that in M‐47. When Zn uptake was examined for 6 hours, the absorption and transport showed a number of changes in phase, which were running parallel. The transport of Zn followed a higher rate in M‐47 than that in M‐35.

Phosphate decreased the uptake and also transport of Zn in both the varieties. However, Zn inhibited phosphate absorption and transport in intact seedlings differentially amongst the varieties. Further, the inhibition of Zn uptake was much less in M‐35 than in M‐47, a feature which will perhaps facilitate survival of M‐35 under water stress, a condition which would also limit phosphate availability.     

Effects of calcium on cadmium uptake and transport in the tree species Gamblea innovans

The effect of calcium (Ca) on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in plants was investigated using Gamblea innovans Sieb. & Zucc., a deciduous tree species that is an accumulator plant for Cd and zinc (Zn). Saplings of G. innovans were grown for 3 months and fed with solutions containing only Ca (+Ca), both Ca and Cd (Ca+Cd), or only Cd (+Cd). The Ca concentration in roots was higher in both treatments containing Cd alone (+Cd) and Ca+Cd compared to roots treated with Ca alone (+Ca). In addition, the Cd concentration in roots was higher in the Ca+Cd treatment than the Cd treatment. This showed that the presence of Ca²⁺ in the rhizosphere relates with Cd uptake into roots. The result that the transport of Cd from roots through stem to leaves was suppressed by Ca treatment indicates that the presence of Ca regulates Cd transport from the roots. A clear correlation between Cd and Zn concentrations in leaves suggests a possibility that the Cd treatment accelerates the transport of Zn into leaves via the same protein transporter in this species.     

Extreme climatic fluctuations as a cause of forest dieback in the pacific rim

An overview of forest diebacks in regions of the Pacific Rim strongly implicated extreme climatic fluctuations as a cause of dieback in the absence of significant acidic deposition and O₃ pollution. There was strong circumstantial evidence that extreme moisture fluctuations had incited cavitation injury on Eucalyptus, Metrosideros and Nothofagus species with recent dieback. The onset and intensification of crown dieback on Metrosideros in Hawaii related directly to the incidence of extreme rainfall followed by prolonged (2 to 4 weeks) clear, hot, dry weather. Research needs to substantiate the role of an irreversible cavitation dysfunction of the xylem as a mechanism of persistent crown dieback were discussed.