Kinetics of thermal modifications in a grape seed extract

The thermal modification kinetics of a commercial grape seed extract (GSE) was investigated. A GSE was exposed to 60, 90, and 120 °C for 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. The antioxidant activity (AA) and the absorbance at 420 nm (A(420)) were measured. (+)-Catechin, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidins B1 and B2, and gallic acid were identified and measured. After the thermal treatments, the AA did not show a significant difference (p > 0.05) and both procyanidins and gallic acid increased as well as A(420). (+)-Catechin and (-)-epicatechin decreased. To obtain the activation energy (E(a)) of the changes, a modified Weibull and a combined zero- and first-order model were compared, both followed by the Arrhenius equation. The Weibull model was more accurate. The E(a) values for browning and (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, gallic acid, and procyanidins B1 and B2 were 170, 286, 42, 102, 249, and 95 kJ/mol, respectively. The results were valid at a confident level of 95%.     

Growth response, phosphorus content and root colonization of Polylepis australis Bitt. seedlings inoculated with different soil types

Polylepis forests are one of the most endangered high mountain ecosystems of South America and reforestation with native Polylepis species has been highly recommended. Greenhouse bioassays were set up to determine the influence of three different soils on growth and phosphorous nutrition of Polylepis australis seedlings. Soils were collected from a grassland, a rare mature forest and a forest degraded due to repeated fires. We identified the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present in the three soils and after 12 months we harvested the seedlings to evaluate root and shoot biomass, plant P content and root colonization by native AMF and dark septate endophytes (DSE). The soil inocula contained 26 AMF morphospecies. Grassland inoculum showed the highest AMF richness, and mature forest showed a different AMF community assembly from grassland and degraded forest inocula. Root biomass and root colonization were highest in seedlings inoculated with mature forest soil, meanwhile shoot biomass and plant P content were similar between all treatments. AMF colonization correlated negatively with DSE and root biomass was negatively correlated with DSE colonization, thus these fungal symbionts could be competing for resources. Our results indicate that AMF inoculum from the mature forest stand has the potential to improve P. australis performance, probably due to the dominance of Glomeraceae and Acaulosporaceae families. However, other soil microorganisms could be together with AMF in the natural inocula, affecting the growth response of P. australis seedlings. Future studies evaluating the effect of these inocula under field conditions should be carried out.     

Designation and management of large‐scale MPAs drawing on the experiences of CCAMLR

With the adoption of the United Nations Law of the Sea came the need for effective worldwide control of marine fisheries. Initially centred on single species, the tasks have extended to ecosystem‐based management through the concept of marine‐protected areas into habitats and biodiversity. These diverse requirements have placed enhanced responsibilities on fisheries management organizations. Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has successfully developed effective management measures for the Southern Ocean but has encountered difficulties in establishing marine‐protected areas. Key to the success of CCAMLR has been the establishment of conservation measures on clearly defined topics through decision making by consensus. It is argued that the problems that CCAMLR has encountered in establishing marine‐protected areas centre on the range of features, in terms of stakeholder interests, to be afforded protection allied to problems with the consensus process. In this paper, the approaches of CCAMLR in converting the conceptual framework of treaty language into practical management measures using consensus are discussed in relation to the manner in which marine‐protected areas might be established within other fisheries management organizations. It is concluded that the most effective approach is as a composite of strictly focussed conservation measures the sum of which cover all facets of a marine‐protected area. This approach has the further advantage that individual components can be changed without opening the whole legal instrument to re‐negotiation.     

Effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Glomus intraradices</Emphasis> on the false root-knot nematode <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Nacobbus aberrans</Emphasis> in tomato plants

Information about the interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans (Thorne, 1935) Thorne & Allen, 1944 is scarce. The effect of Glomus intraradices Schenk & Smith on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cv. Platense inoculated with nematode juveniles from Lisandro Olmos (Argentina) was studied under greenhouse conditions. Six treatments with five replications were performed. After 80 days, nematode reproduction and percentage of AMF colonization in roots were estimated. Some plant growth parameters were also measured. In general, plants with AMF and AMF plus nematodes grew as well as the control without AMF and without nematodes. Furthermore, G. intraradices was beneficial in reducing nematode-induced damage in roots (lower number of galls) as well as in having a suppressive effect on parasite reproduction. This is the first study on the use of G. intraradices as a possible strategy in the control of N. aberrans in tomato.