Scenarios for global biodiversity in the 21st century

Quantitative scenarios are coming of age as a tool for evaluating the impact of future socioeconomic development pathways on biodiversity and ecosystem services. We analyze global terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity scenarios using a range of measures including extinctions, changes in species abundance, habitat loss, and distribution shifts, as well as comparing model projections to observations. Scenarios consistently indicate that biodiversity will continue to decline over the 21st century. However, the range of projected changes is much broader than most studies suggest, partly because there are major opportunities to intervene through better policies, but also because of large uncertainties in projections.     

Grazing management and tussock distribution in elephant grass

Soil occupation capacity via lateral expansion of tussocks in elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) may be associated with basal tillering. As grazing management alters the proportion of basal and aerial tillers in a tiller population, the hypothesis of this work was that grazing management affects tussock size and distribution with implications for plant population stability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tiller population stability index, the proportion of basal and aerial tillers, tussock size, and the frequency of tussocks and bare ground in rotationally managed elephant grass cv. Napier. Treatments resulted from the combination of two post‐grazing heights (35 and 45 cm) and two pre‐grazing conditions (95% and maximum canopy light interception during regrowth – LI_0·95 and LI_Max) and were allocated to experimental units (850 m² paddocks) according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design, with four replications. Measurements were taken from January 2011 to April 2012. The post‐grazing height treatments affected the tiller population stability index, but did not influence the pattern of tussock distribution. On the other hand, the different grazing frequencies (targets of LI pre‐grazing) altered the pattern of tussock distribution and the proportion of bare ground. In general, the tiller population stability index and frequency of tussocks were higher and the frequency of bare ground lower on swards managed with the LI_0·95 target relative to those managed with the LI_Max target, regardless of the post‐grazing height used, indicating a larger soil occupation capacity of plants under the more frequent defoliation regime. Such responses were associated with larger population of basal tillers and highlight the importance of tiller category and perennation pathway in defining patterns of plant growth and tussock distribution.     

Canopy leaf area and leaf mass in the upper stratum of Urochloa hybrid ‘Mavuno’ grass subjected to nitrogen fertilisation

Nitrogen (N) inputs are recognised to maximise herbage mass (HM) in tropical perennial grasses, whereas less is clear on their impact on HM distribution and the effects on leaf mass (LM) and leaf area index (LAI) in the upper stratum. This 2 year study, carried out in Pirassununga, Brazil, assessed the HM distribution in the upper (>20 cm) and lower (<20 cm) strata in Urochloa hybrid ‘Mavuno’ grass maintained under similar pre- and post-cutting canopy heights with contrasting N fertilisation rates applied after each cutting (no-nitrogen, 15, 30, and 45 kg N ha⁻¹). The relevance of specific leaf area (SLA), leaf N concentration (NLeaf), tiller weight (TW) and population density to the LM and LAI of the upper stratum were also examined. Mavuno grass expressed a stable HM < 20 cm (59%–71% during Year I and 66%–80% for Year II), and apparent N fertilisation impacts on HM > 20 cm were verified at specific regrowth cycles during Year II. Mavuno grass pastures expressed plasticity for adjustments on leaf, tiller and population attributes, which were modulated by both climatic conditions and N fertilisation. Under favourable growth conditions during Year I, fertilised pastures were able to sustain higher NLeaf and SLA but associated with lower TW, resulting in maximisation of LAI but not in LM in the upper stratum. During Year II, fertilised pastures expressed higher NLeaf, SLA, number of basal tillers, despite the lowest TW, which resulted in higher LAI and LM in the upper stratum compared with non-fertilised pastures. Our results highlighted that adjustments on leaf and population attributes within the canopy were driven to maximise the upper stratum LAI, being positively affected by N fertilisation.     

Canopy stay-green and yield in non-stressed sunflower

Delayed leaf senescence during the grain filling phase, or stay green (SG), may be functional or cosmetic; the first being considered a valuable trait in breeding of many crop species. To establish whether canopy senescence patterns exhibited by two sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids visually selected for slow post-anthesis canopy leaf area index (LAI) loss reflected functional, rather than cosmetic, SG, LAI dynamics and total biomass increase between anthesis and physiological maturity were followed in three separate experiments in which the putative SG hybrids were compared with standard (i.e., non stay green, NSG) hybrids exhibiting normal rates of canopy senescence under non- or minimal-water stress conditions. In two experiments, pairwise (i.e., one SG vs. one NSG) comparisons were made at two crop population densities. In the third experiment, grown at a single crop population density, four NSG hybrids were contrasted with the two SG hybrids. Canopy senescence dynamics were well described by fitted bilinear functions which discriminated between an initial, slow phase of leaf area loss and a second phase of rapid canopy senescence. No differences between hybrids in the rate of senescence during the first phase were found, but the putative SG hybrids exhibited a significantly slower rate of senescence during the second phase and a significantly higher LAI at physiological maturity (as % of LAI at anthesis). One NSG hybrid showed a greater rate of second-phase senescence than the remaining three hybrids in this category. Across experiments, the anthesis-physiological maturity increment in total oil-corrected biomass and radiation use efficiency (RUE) were significantly greater in the SG hybrids. Cluster analysis based on these four attributes, using data from Exp. 3, clearly discriminated between SG and NSG hybrids. Examination of specific leaf N (SLN) dynamics suggests that the lower RUE values observed in one of the NSG hybrids could be attributable to lower SLN values, but this was not the case for the remaining NSG hybrids. It is also possible that very rapid canopy LAI loss in another NSG hybrid may underlie its lower RUE. The failure of SG hybrids to translate greater post-anthesis biomass increment into grain yield across experiments was associated with their slightly shorter times to anthesis and their significantly lower biomass at anthesis. Grain number, the component of yield most strongly associated with yield, was associated with biomass at anthesis. A further contributing factor was that the duration of grain-filling tended to be shorter in SG hybrids. In the one experiment in which this variable was measured, resistance to stalk breakage was greater in the SG hybrids than the NSG one to which they were compared. We conclude that the SG observed in the hybrids with slower canopy senescence is functional and not cosmetic, and that for this to be translated into a yield advantage all hybrids need to reach anthesis at the same time and grain-filling duration also has to be the same across hybrids. Stay green is an interesting secondary trait to select for and should lead to higher and more stable yields in environments in which stem breakage (lodging) is a problem.     

Sulfated-polysaccharide fraction from red algae Gracilaria caudata protects mice gut against ethanol-induced damage

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gastroprotective activity of a sulfated-polysaccharide (PLS) fraction extracted from the marine red algae Gracilaria caudata and the mechanism underlying the gastroprotective activity. Male Swiss mice were treated with PLS (3, 10, 30 and 90 mg·kg(-1), p.o.), and after 30 min, they were administered 50% ethanol (0.5 mL/25 g(-1), p.o.). One hour later, gastric damage was measured using a planimeter. Samples of the stomach tissue were also obtained for histopathological assessment and for assays of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Other groups were pretreated with l-NAME (10 mg·kg(-1), i.p.), dl-propargylglycine (PAG, 50 mg·kg(-1), p.o.) or glibenclamide (5 mg·kg(-1), i.p.). After 1 h, PLS (30 mg·kg(-1), p.o.) was administered. After 30 min, ethanol 50% was administered (0.5 mL/25 g(-1), p.o.), followed by sacrifice after 60 min. PLS prevented-ethanol-induced macroscopic and microscopic gastric injury in a dose-dependent manner. However, treatment with l-NAME or glibenclamide reversed this gastroprotective effect. Administration of propargylglycine did not influence the effect of PLS. Our results suggest that PLS has a protective effect against ethanol-induced gastric damage in mice via activation of the NO/K(ATP) pathway.     

Effect of elatol, isolated from red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea, on Leishmania amazonensis

In the present study, we investigated the antileishmanial activity of sesquiterpene elatol, the major constituent of the Brazilian red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux, against L. amazonensis. Elatol after 72 h of treatment, showed an IC(50) of 4.0 μM and 0.45 μM for promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of L. amazonensis, respectively. By scanning and transmission electron microscopy, parasites treated with elatol revealed notable changes compared with control cells, including: pronounced swelling of the mitochondrion; appearance of concentric membrane structures inside the organelle; destabilization of the plasma membrane; and formation of membrane structures, apparently an extension of the endoplasmic reticulum, which is suggestive of an autophagic process. A cytotoxicity assay showed that the action of the isolated compound is more specific for protozoa, and it is not toxic to macrophages. Our studies indicated that elatol is a potent antiproliferative agent against promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms, and may have important advantages for the development of new anti-leishamanial chemotherapies.     

Responses to short-term waterlogging during grain filling in sunflower

Higher than normal rainfall during grain filling of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has been shown to be associated with reductions in grain yield. This yield loss has been variously attributed to low radiation (cloudy weather) or to the increased incidence of diseases. Impaired physiological processes directly linked to transient waterlogging arising from excess rainfall could also reduce yield. The aim of this work was to evaluate the existence and nature of physiological responses to waterlogging in sunflower.     

Effects of propionic acid and Lactobacillus buchneri (UFLA SIL 72) addition on fermentative and microbiological characteristics of sugar cane silage treated with and without calcium oxide

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of a new strain of Lactobacillus buchneri (UFLA SIL 72) isolated from sugar cane (Saccharum spp.) silage and the addition of propionic acid [1% based on fresh matter (FM)] to silages treated with and without calcium oxide (1% of FM) at 60 and 170 d of ensiling. A randomized block design with a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to analyse the results. The use of calcium oxide reduced the ethanol content and neutral detergent fibre in all silages, increased pH values and favoured the growth of clostridia and yeasts. The addition of propionic acid reduced the yeast population, but it was not able to reduce ethanol content of silage. The addition of L. buchneri resulted in silages with higher concentration of propionate, reduced the levels of ethanol and reduced the population of clostridia in all silages. The use of calcium oxide is not recommended for silage of sugar cane.     

Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Activities of Monoterpene Hydroxy Lactones Isolated from the Marine Microalga Tisochrysis Lutea

Tisochrysis lutea is a marine haptophyte rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g., docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) and carotenoids (e.g., fucoxanthin). Because of the nutraceutical applications of these compounds, this microalga is being used in aquaculture to feed oyster and shrimp larvae. In our earlier report, T. lutea organic crude extracts exhibited in vitro cytotoxic activity against human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. However, so far, the compound(s) accountable for the observed bioactivity have not been identified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and identify the chemical component(s) responsible for the bioactivity observed. Bioassay-guided fractionation through a combination of silica-gel column chromatography, followed by preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC), led to the isolation of two diastereomers of a monoterpenoid lactone, namely, loliolide (1) and epi-loliolide (2), isolated for the first time in this species. The structural elucidation of both compounds was carried out by GC-MS and 1D (¹H and ¹³C APT) and 2D (COSY, HMBC, HSQC-ed, and NOESY) NMR analysis. Both compounds significantly reduced the viability of HepG2 cells and were considerably less toxic towards a non-tumoral murine stromal (S17) cell line, although epi-loliolide was found to be more active than loliolide.     

Additional Evidence of the Trypanocidal Action of (?)-Elatol on Amastigote Forms through the Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species

Chagas’ disease, a vector-transmitted infectious disease, is caused by the protozoa parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Drugs that are currently available for the treatment of this disease are unsatisfactory, making the search for new chemotherapeutic agents a priority. We recently described the trypanocidal action of (−)-elatol, extracted from the macroalga Laurencia dendroidea. However, nothing has been described about the mechanism of action of this compound on amastigotes that are involved in the chronic phase of Chagas’ disease. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of (−)-elatol on the formation of superoxide anions (O₂^•−), DNA fragmentation, and autophagy in amastigotes of T. cruzi to elucidate the possible mechanism of the trypanocidal action of (−)-elatol. Treatment of the amastigotes with (−)-elatol increased the formation of O₂^•− at all concentrations of (−)-elatol assayed compared with untreated parasites. Increased fluorescence was observed in parasites treated with (−)-elatol, indicating DNA fragmentation and the formation of autophagic compartments. The results suggest that the trypanocidal action of (−)-elatol might involve the induction of the autophagic and apoptotic death pathways triggered by an imbalance of the parasite’s redox metabolism.