Landscape dynamics of floral resources affect the supply of a biodiversity-dependent cultural ecosystem service

Context

Cultural ecosystem services, many of which depend on biodiversity, are recognized as important but seldom quantified biophysically across landscapes. Furthermore, many ecosystem service models are static, and the supply of cultural ecosystem services may be misrepresented if seasonal shifts in biotic communities are ignored.

Objectives

We modeled landscape dynamics of wildflower blooms in a temperate montane landscape to determine (1) how floral resources (wildflower species richness, abundance, timing, and presence of charismatic species) changed over the growing season, (2) how projected wildflower viewing hotspots varied over space and time, and (3) how spatial shifts in floral resources affected potential public access to wildflower viewing.

Methods

Data were collected at 63 sites across a rural-to-urban gradient in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA). Generalized linear models were used to identify factors affecting floral resources at two temporal scales. Floral resources were projected across the landscape and hotspots of wildflower viewing were quantified using overlay analysis.

Results

Floral resources were affected by topoedaphic conditions, climate, and surrounding building density and changed seasonally. Seasonal models revealed locational shifts in ecosystem service hotspots, which changed the proportion of hotspots accessible to the public and identified wildflower-viewing opportunities unnoticed by static models.

Conclusion

Relationships between landscape gradients, biodiversity, and ecosystem service supply varied seasonally, and our models identified cultural ecosystem service hotspots otherwise obscured by simple proxies. Landscape models of biodiversity-based cultural ecosystem services should include seasonal dynamics of biotic communities to avoid under- or over-emphasizing the importance of particular locations in ecosystem service assessments.

     

A multi-method approach to delineate and validate migratory corridors

Context

Managers are faced with numerous methods for delineating wildlife movement corridors, and often must make decisions with limited data. Delineated corridors should be robust to different data and models.

Objectives

We present a multi-method approach for delineating and validating wildlife corridors using multiple data sources, which can be used conserve landscape connectivity. We used this approach to delineate and validate migration corridors for wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) in the Tarangire Ecosystem of northern Tanzania.

Methods

We used two types of locational data (distance sampling detections and GPS collar locations), and three modeling methods (negative binomial regression, logistic regression, and Maxent), to generate resource selection functions (RSFs) and define resistance surfaces. We compared two corridor detection algorithms (cost-distance and circuit theory), to delineate corridors. We validated corridors by comparing random and wildebeest locations that fell within corridors, and cross-validated by data type.

Results

Both data types produced similar RSFs. Wildebeest consistently selected migration habitat in flatter terrain farther from human settlements. Validation indicated three of the combinations of data type, modeling, and corridor detection algorithms (detection data with Maxent modeling, GPS collar data with logistic regression modeling, and GPS collar data with Maxent modeling, all using cost-distance) far outperformed the other seven. We merged the predictive corridors from these three data-method combinations to reveal habitat with highest probability of use.

Conclusions

The use of multiple methods ensures that planning is able to prioritize conservation of migration corridors based on all available information.

     

Characterization of hemiacetal forms of anthocyanidin 3-O-beta-glycopyranosides

The 3-O-beta-glucopyranosides of delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin (1-3) and cyanidin 3-O-beta-galactopyranoside (4) dissolved in deuterated methanolic solutions without and with acid (5%, CF3COOD) were identified by homo- and heteronuclear NMR techniques. The hemiacetal forms of all the four anthocyanins were characterized as two epimeric 2-hydroxy-hemiacetals on the basis of assignments of both proton and carbon NMR signals together with chemical shift considerations. This is the first report of 13C NMR assignments of two epimeric anthocyanin hemiacetal forms. No 4-hydroxy-hemiacetal form was detected for any of the pigments. For each anthocyanin dissolved in deuterated methanol, the equilibrium between each of the two epimeric hemiacetals and the corresponding flavylium cation was confirmed by the observed positive exchange cross-peaks in the 2D 1H NOESY spectra. The molar proportions of the flavylium cation and the two hemiacetals of 1-4 in deuterated methanol were very similar for all pigments, even during storage for weeks. The majority of the anthocyanins reported to occur in fruits have the same or similar structures as 1-4. These pigments have been proposed to exist predominantly as hemiacetals in slightly acidic to neutral solvents, which is a relevant pH range in plants and in the human gastrointestinal tract.     

Effects of solvent polarity and acidity on the extraction efficiency of isoflavones from soybeans (Glycine max)

Soy isoflavones have been correlated with beneficial health effects. The predominant chemical forms of isoflavones present may affect their biological activities. Choosing the solvent system that can accurately quantify the amounts of individual isoflavones present in these products is paramount. Our objectives were to compare frequently used solvent systems and to evaluate the effects of polarity and acidity on the recovery of isoflavones from soybeans. Isoflavones were extracted from pulverized Manokin soybeans using six solvent systems, which are the combinations of three polarity levels (83% acetonitrile, 80% methanol, and 58% acetonitrile) and two acidity levels (nonacidified and acidified). The pulverized soybean was stirred for 2 h in each solvent system before filtration and concentration using rotary evaporation. The extract was resuspended in 16% acetonitrile and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Recoveries of pure standards were evaluated with all solvent systems. Solvents with a higher polarity extracted a significantly higher amount of total isoflavones. For individual isoflavones, 58% acetonitrile (highest polarity) extracted either the highest amounts or no less than other solvents, while 83% acetonitrile (lowest polarity) extracted either the lowest amounts or no more than other solvents except for the aglycone form. Acidification significantly reduced the recovery of the malonylglucoside form and the total isoflavones. The recovery study revealed that acidification favored the chemical transformations of isoflavones during the extraction. Among the six solvent systems examined, 58% acetonitrile aqueous solution without acid was the best for extraction of isoflavones from soybeans.     

Supercritical CO2 extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum: chemical characterization and antityrosinase activity

The volatile oil of the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum was extracted by means of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction in different conditions of pressure and temperature. Its chemical composition was characterized by GC-MS analysis. Nineteen compounds, which in the supercritical extract represented >95% of the oil, were identified. (E)-Cinnamaldehyde (77.1%), (E)-beta-caryophyllene (6.0%), alpha-terpineol (4.4%), and eugenol (3.0%) were found to be the major constituents. The SFE oil of cinnamon was screened for its biological activity about the formation of melanin in vitro. The extract showed antityrosinase activity and was able to reduce the formation of insoluble flakes of melanin from tyrosine. The oil also delayed the browning effect in apple homogenate. (E)-Cinnamaldehyde and eugenol were found to be mainly responsible of this inhibition effect.     

Concept and feasibility study for the integrated evaluation of environmental monitoring data in forests

In the 1970s unexpected forest damages, called “new type of forest damage” or “forest decline”, were observed in Germany and other European countries. The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Federal States implemented a forest monitoring system in the early 1980s, in order to monitor and assess the forest condition. Due to the growing public awareness of possible adverse effects of air pollution on forests, in 1985 the ICP Forests was launched under the convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (CLRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE). The German experience in forest monitoring was a base for the implementation of the European monitoring system. In 2001 the interdisciplinary case study “concept and feasibility study for the integrated evaluation of environmental monitoring data in forests”, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, concentrated on in-depths evaluations of the German data of forest monitoring. The objectives of the study were: (a) a reliable assessment of the vitality and functioning of forest ecosystems, (b) the identification and quantification of factors influencing forest vitality, and (c) the clarification of cause-effect-relationships leading to leaf/needle loss. For these purposes additional data from external sources were acquired: climate and deposition, for selected level I plots tree growth data, as well as data on groundwater quality. The results show that in particular time series analysis (crown condition, tree growth, and tree ring analysis), in combination with climate and deposition are valuable and informative, as well as integrated evaluation of soil, tree nutrition and crown condition data. Methods to combine information from the extensive and the intensive monitoring, and to transfer process information to the large scale should be elaborated in future.

Changes in selected stress and immune‐related genes in Atlantic cod,Gadus morhua,following overcrowding

Using Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, as a model for the stress response in gadoid fish, the changes in the expression of some stress and immune genes as well as the profiles of plasma cortisol were examined. Adult fish were kept at a density of ca. 100 kg m^?3 by lowering the water level in the rearing tank for 1 h and this short‐term crowding stress was repeated thrice over a 12‐h interval period. Blood samples were collected before exposure and at 2, 24 and 72 h post crowding. Plasma cortisol level significantly increased at 2 h post crowding but returned to pre‐crowding levels 24 h after exposure. The relative expression of the stress response genes, glucose transporter‐3 and a putative heat shock protein 70 significantly increased at 2 and 24 h post crowding respectively. Significant up‐regulation of the pro‐inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐8, as well as anti‐bacterial genes, g‐type lysozyme and bactericidal permeability‐increasing protein/lipopolysaccharide‐binding protein (BPI/LBP) was also observed at 2 h and the levels were maintained until 72 h post exposure, except for BPI/LBP which had maximum up‐regulation at 24 h. The present observations have implications with respect to fish welfare and assessment of the health status of the farmed fish.     

Comparison of early life history stages of the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians: Effects of microalgal diets on growth and biochemical composition

The culture of bay scallops, Argopecten irradians, is limited by a reliable and affordable supply of spat and the ability to ensure that animals attain market size within a single growing season. The main goals of our study were thus: (1) to develop growth-optimizing algal diets for implementation in hatcheries, and (2) to identify and compare bay scallop postlarval and juvenile dietary requirements, especially of lipids and fatty acids, which if met may enhance production. Nutritional needs of postlarval bay scallops (present study) are compared with those of sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, offered the same diets in a previous companion study. To this end, postlarval (initial shell height, SH = 240 μm) and juvenile (initial SH = 10 mm) bay scallops were offered 6–7 microalgal diet combinations at 20 °C, for 3 weeks. A similar growth ranking among diets was observed between the two developmental stages. A combination diet of Pavlova sp. (CCMP 459) and Chaetoceros muelleri was far superior to any other diet tested, yielding growth rates of 58 and 357 μm day^− 1 which were 65% and 25% higher than the next highest performing diet of Tetraselmis striata/C. muelleri in postlarvae and juveniles, respectively. The T. striata/C. muelleri diet, which is limited in the n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), yielded very poor growth of sea scallop postlarvae in a prior study, indicating that bay scallops may have less stringent requirements for DHA than sea scallops. The Pav 459/C. muelleri diet, which also supported the highest growth of sea scallop postlarvae, is characterized by elevated levels of the n-6 fatty acids, arachidonic (AA) in C. muelleri and 4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic (DPA) in Pav 459. The two diets deficient in AA and n-6 DPA, Pavlova lutheri/Thalassiosira weissflogii and P. lutheri/Fragilaria familica, yielded the lowest growth rates in both bay scallop postlarvae and juveniles. Tissue enrichment of these two fatty acids relative to the diet, as well as overall enrichment in ∑n-6 fatty acids was observed across developmental stages and dietary treatments. A similar pattern has previously been observed in sea scallop postlarvae, suggesting a dietary requirement for n-6 fatty acids in pectinids that has often been overlooked in the past.     

Local and systemic resistance to fungal pathogens triggered by an AVR9-mediated hypersensitive response in tomato and oilseed rape carrying the Cf-9 resistance gene

Tomato and transgenic oilseed rape plants expressing the Cf-9 resistance gene develop a hypersensitive response (HR) after injection of the corresponding Avr9 gene product. It was investigated whether induction of a HR conferred resistance to different fungal pathogens in tomato and oilseed rape. Induction of an AVR9 mediated HR at the pathogen infection site delayed the development of the biotrophs Oidium lycopersicum in tomato and Erysiphe polygoni in oilseed rape, but enhanced the development of the necrotrophs Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria solani in tomato and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in oilseed rape. Interestingly, delayed fungal disease development was observed in plant tissues surrounding the HR lesion regardless of whether a necrotrophic or biotrophic pathogen was used. In tomato, AVR9 injection induced systemic expression of PR1, PR2 and PR3 defence genes but did not induce systemic resistance to O. lycopersicum, B. cinerea or A. solani. In oilseed rape, AVR9 injection temporarily induced systemic resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans and E. polygoni, but did not induce detectable systemic expression of PR1, PR2 or Cxc750. These results give new insights into the potential uses of an induced HR to engineer disease resistance.     

In vitro formation of metabolic-intermediate cytochrome P450 complexes in rabbit liver microsomes by tiamulin and various macrolides

Tiamulin and a number of macrolides were evaluated as to their ability in forming metabolic-intermediate (MI) complexes with cytochrome P450 in liver microsomes from rabbits bred for meat production. Complex formation, which occurred only in preparations where the expression of P450 3A was increased as the result of rifampicin pre-treatment and with different kinetics, was in the order tiamulin > erythromycin > TAO approximately roxithromycin approximately tylosin and did not take place with tilmicosin and spiramycin. Most of the tested compounds underwent an oxidative N-dealkylation and a good relationship could be found between the rate of N-dealkylase activity in induced preparations and the aptitude in generating MI complexes. Although the results from in vitro studies should be interpreted with caution, it is suggested that the potential for in vivo drug interactions also exists in the rabbit for tiamulin and for four out of the six tested macrolides.