A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems

The management and conservation of the world's oceans require synthesis of spatial data on the distribution and intensity of human activities and the overlap of their impacts on marine ecosystems. We developed an ecosystem-specific, multiscale spatial model to synthesize 17 global data sets of anthropogenic drivers of ecological change for 20 marine ecosystems. Our analysis indicates that no area is unaffected by human influence and that a large fraction (41%) is strongly affected by multiple drivers. However, large areas of relatively little human impact remain, particularly near the poles. The analytical process and resulting maps provide flexible tools for regional and global efforts to allocate conservation resources; to implement ecosystem-based management; and to inform marine spatial planning, education, and basic research.     

Evidence for BTV-4 circulation in free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Cabañeros National Park, Spain

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious disease of wild and domestic ruminants caused by bluetongue virus (BTV). BTV-4 spread through southern Spain from 2004 to 2006, whereas a BTV-1 outbreak that started in southern Spain in 2007 is still ongoing. Vaccination and movement restriction regulations are applied to domestic ruminants to control BT, but the potential reservoir role of wild European ungulates has not been clarified so far. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of BTV in the wild free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) population of Caba?eros National Park (CNP) in central Spain during the BTV-4 and BTV-1 epizootics, assessing the potential role of this deer population as a BTV reservoir. Blood samples from 2885 (2542 adults, 208 calves and 135 undetermined) wild red deer were collected from 2005 to 2010 in CNP and surrounding hunting estates. All sera were tested for antibodies against the BTV VP7 protein by ELISA. Ninety-four of the ELISA-positive samples were analysed by serum neutralization to detect BTV-4 and BTV-1 specific antibodies, and 142 blood samples were analysed by RT-PCR for BTV RNA. A total of 371 (12.9%) out of the 2,885 deer (35/208 calves, 307/2,542 adults, and 29/135 undetermined) were positive for antibodies against BTV. Prevalence increased in adult deer from 2005-2006 to 2008-2009, declining thereafter. No positive samples for BTV-1 were found by serum neutralization, whereas 43 deer (38 adults, four calves and one undetermined) were positive for BTV-4 specific antibodies. No BTV RNA positive deer were found by RT-PCR. Antibody detection throughout the study period suggests a maintained circulation of BTV in red deer. However, the lack of BTV RNA detection suggests a minor transmission risk to livestock.     

Incidence of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter europaeus’ and phytoplasmas in Cacopsylla species (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and their host/shelter plants

Psyllids, as vectors of phloem-restricted plant pathogens, are serious agricultural pests. Fruit tree phytoplasmas are transmitted by different Cacopsylla spp., while other psyllids are known vectors of liberibacters. Recently, the bacterium ??Candidatus Liberibacter europaeus?? was found in pear trees and in Cacopsylla pyri (Linnaeus), the vector of ??Ca. Phytoplasma pyri??. This new species does not cause symptoms in plants and is probably a symbiont rather than a pathogen. Based on these findings and the assumption that ??Ca. Liberibacter europaeus?? is widespread, we studied its distribution in the genus Cacopsylla and in the respective host and shelter plants (where psyllids aestivate and overwinter), as well as its possible co-presence with ??Ca. Phytoplasma?? spp. We tested 14 Cacopsylla species and 11 plant species from northwestern Italy, Hungary and Israel, characterized by warm oceanic, temperate continental and warm Mediterranean climatic conditions, respectively. ??Ca. Liberibacter europaeus?? was common within the Cacopsylla genus, being present in nine of the 14 species screened as well as in most host plants, whereas none of the shelter plants tested positive for this bacterium. Altogether, these findings indicate the presence of ??Ca. Liberibacter europaeus?? in continental zones, whereas it does not seem to be widespread in the Mediterranean region. Furthermore, lack of specific symptoms in all infected plants confirms an endophytic relationship with this bacterium, while its abundance in insects suggests a beneficial role for the host. Co-infections with phytoplasmas, observed in insects and plants, require further study to evaluate the possible interactions between them.     

Phytoestrogen content of beverages, nuts, seeds, and oils

Phytoestrogens are secondary plant metabolites that have received increasing attention for their bioactivity, in particular due to their structural and functional similarity to 17beta-estradiol. Although urinary and plasma phytoestrogens can be used as biomarkers for dietary intake, this is often not possible in large epidemiological studies or in the assessment of general exposure in free-living individuals. Accurate information about dietary phytoestrogens is therefore important, but there are very limited data concerning food contents. In this study was analyzed a comprehensive selection of tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages, nuts, seeds, and oils for their phytoestrogen content using a newly developed sensitive method based on LC-MS incorporating (13)C 3-labeled standards. Phytoestrogens were detected in all foods analyzed, although the contents in gin and bitter (beer) were below the limit of quantification (1.5 microg/100 g). Lignans were the main type of phytoestrogens detected. Tea and coffee contained up to 20 microg/100 g phytoestrogens and beer (except bitter) contained up to 71 microg/100 g, mainly lignans. As these beverages are commonly consumed, they are a main source of dietary lignans. The results published here will contribute to databases of dietary phytoestrogen content and allow a more accurate determination of phytoestrogen exposure in free-living individuals.     

Modeling environmental,temporal and spatial effects on twaite shad (Alosa fallax) by‐catches in the central Mediterranean Sea

Modeling the relationships between environmental factors and the distribution at sea of species of conservation interest can be useful in predicting their occurrence from a local to a regional scale. This information is essential for planning management and conservation initiatives. In this study, generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to investigate the influence of environmental, temporal and spatial variables on the catch rates of the twaite shad Alosa fallax (Lacepède) by the pelagic trawl fishery in the north‐central Adriatic Sea. Presence/absence and abundance [catch per unit effort (CPUE)] data between 2006 and 2012 were separately modeled, and the two models were then validated using a test data set. The most important factor influencing the presence and abundance of adult twaite shads was the spatial predictor (latitude × longitude). Two areas of major shads aggregations were observed, the most important of which being located near the estuaries of three main river systems of northern Italy. The twaite shad presence was also significantly affected by season, the largest and lowest occurrences being observed in autumn and spring, respectively. Among the environmental variables tested, only sea surface temperature was included in both models. Alosa fallax showed a wide thermal tolerance (6–27°C) with preference for temperature around 23°C. The model developed from the abundance data showed a moderate predictive power, whereas the accuracy of the presence/absence model was rather low. Some conclusions on the ecological requirements of A. fallax at sea arising from this study are useful to orient future monitoring and research programs and to develop effective conservation actions.     

Traceability of plant contribution in olive oil by amplified fragment length polymorphisms

Application of DNA molecular markers to traceability of foods is thought to bring new benefit to consumer's protection. Even in a complex matrix such as olive oil, DNA could be traced with PCR markers such as the amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). In this work, fluorescent AFLPs were optimized for the characterization of olive oil DNA, to obtain highly reproducible, high-quality fingerprints, testing different parameters: the concentrations of dNTPs and labeled primer, the kind of Taq DNA polymerase and thermal cycler, and the quantity of DNA employed. It was found that correspondence of fingerprinting by comparing results in oils and in plants was close to 70% and that the DNA extraction from olive oil was the limiting step for the reliability of AFLP profiles, due to the complex matrix analyzed.