Biochemical profile of non-enzymatic stress markers in the plant species “<Emphasis Type="Italic">Urginea maritima</Emphasis>” in a Mediterranean natural reserve exposed to oxidative stress

Protected areas decrease degrading natural ecosystems due to pollution such as air pollution. In 1981, the inhabitants founded Bentael natural reserve in Byblos, Lebanon, to secure their region against urbanization projects, like the recently constructed road that threatens the biodiversity of the reserve. This study was conducted to determine the oxidative stress resulting from this pollution and that menaces 360 floral species among them a rare species “Urginea maritima.” In this research, the biomonitoring approach was experienced to assess the oxidative stress. Biomonitoring possesses has the advantage to be low cost and a constructive method to generate valuable data for further examinations. The studied parameters were air pollutants, ascorbic acid, photosynthetic pigments, leave’s pH, relative water content, proline, carbohydrates, and hydrogen peroxide, in three chosen spots, near the pollution source (P1), opposite the latter spot (P2), and in an area relatively far from the source of contamination and which was chosen as the control site (Ctrl). The results showed in P1 detection of air pollutants higher of about 80% than in Ctrl, modifications in stress markers: increased concentration of the reactive oxygen species “hydrogen peroxide,” rise in the concentration of the osmoregulator amino acid “proline,” and depletion in chlorophyll content, in contrast to an increase in pheophytin. All these findings can be exploited as early diagnosis of air pollution and confirmed the ability to use such biomonitor (“Urginea maritima”) as a way to assess the environmental pollution levels and consequently affirm the danger of such landscape activities on natural reserves.     

Sustainability assessment in the Brazilian Amazon: the municipalities of the state of Amapá

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Although sustainability assessment is widely discussed at Brazil, in Brazilian Amazon its use is still little applied, considering this territory is...     

Burrowing behaviour and sediment reworking in the heart urchin Brissopsis lyrifera Forbes (Spatangoida)

Sediment reworking due to burrowing and feeding was studied in the spatangoid Brissopsis lyrifera, at two different temperatures (7°C and 13°C). Spine activity and burrowing behaviour were recorded with a real-time video camera. Reworked sediment volume was calculated from tracks produced by the heart urchin. Ingestion rates were measured by feeding the heart urchins with luminophores. Temperature had a significant effect on the bioturbation activity of B. lyrifera. At 13°C reworked sediment volume due to burrowing was 22 ml sediment h^-1 and at 7°C 14 ml sediment h^-1. The ingested amount of sediment was 0.08 and 0.02 g dry sediment h^-1 in 13 and 7°C, respectively. Reworked sediment volume due to burrowing was 60-150 times higher than the volume ingested. The large reworked volume is a consequence of B. lyrifera moving with a rocking motion through the sediment. The spines were continuously transporting sediment around the test with 5-min metachronal wave cycles.     

Biochemical responses of the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis to petrochemical environmental contamination along the North-western coast of Portugal

Following the development of urban and industrial centres petrochemical products have become a widespread class of contaminants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of petrochemical contamination in wild populations of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) along the NW Atlantic coast of Portugal by applying antioxidant and energetic metabolism parameters as biomarkers. For that, mussels were collected at five sampling sites presenting different petrochemical contamination levels. To evaluate the mussels' antioxidant status, enzymatic activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferases, as well as glutathione redox status were evaluated in gills and digestive glands of mussels collected from the selected sites. Lipid peroxidation was determined in the same tissues to quantify cellular oxidative damage. Furthermore, to investigate how energetic processes may respond to these contaminants, the activity of NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase was determined in mussels' digestive glands, and octopine dehydrogenase was determined in mussels' posterior adductor muscle. Furthermore, the concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons, unresolved complex mixture and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were quantified in mussels' tissue, and abiotic parameters were quantified in water samples collected at each site. Several biomarkers showed statistically significant differences among sampling sites. The redundancy analysis (RDA) used to perform the integrated analysis of the data showed a clear separation of the sampling sites in three different assemblages, which are in agreement with the PAHs levels found in mussels tissues. In addition, the RDA indicated that some of the selected biomarkers may be influenced by abiotic parameters (e.g. salinity, pH, nitrates and ammonia). The approach selected for this study seems to be suitable for monitoring petrochemical contamination.     

Evaluation of genotoxicity and toxicity of water and sediment samples from a Brazilian stream influenced by tannery industries

This paper reports results of genotoxicity and toxicity studies of water and sediment samples collected from the Estancia Velha stream of southern Brazil, a stream transporting both domestic sewage and effluents from regional factories working in the leather industry. Three sites were selected: in the stream headwaters (Site 1), located downstream of an urban area (Site 2), and near the basin outfall (Site 3). Results obtained with Allium cepa showed no evidence of chromosomal mutation, either in water or in sediment, during winter or summer seasons, but samples collected below Site 1 showed high toxicity. Physical and chemical analyses showed high concentrations of pollutants at these sites. Ecotoxicity tests with Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia measured toxicity in water from Sites 2 and 3 in summer 2004. A toxic effect on Hyalella azteca was only found in sediment from Site 3 during winter 2003 and summer 2004. The results suggest that the synergy among different compounds in domestic and industrial sewage discharges can make it difficult to maintain system stability.     

Future Trends and Mitigation Options for Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Developing Country of the Middle East Region: a Case Study of Lebanon’s Road Transport Sector

The road transport system in Lebanon is one of the most unsustainable in the Middle East region due to, in large part, the absence of a national transportation strategy. This study proposes mitigation measures based on Lebanon’s commitments for reducing fossil fuel use and CO₂ emissions from road transport by increasing the share of fuel-efficient and hybrid electric vehicles and increasing the utilization of the existing bus service. Results show that increasing the market share of fuel-efficient vehicles to 35% in 2040 stabilizes energy use and emissions. The addition of hybrid vehicles to the first strategy, with a target of 10% market share by 2040, leads to 11% additional savings. Increasing the share of bus passenger kilometers traveled to 45% in 2040 leads to a reversal of adverse impacts. A combined strategy of all three measures leads to 63% reductions in 2040 compared to 2010, which is even superior to their cumulative savings.     

A knowledge network to promote the use and valorization of wild food plants in the Pantanal and Cerrado,Brazil

Regional Environmental Change - The conservation and use of wild food plants should include local people in the decision-making process, and many countries have done so. However, interacting with...