Ellenberg Indicator Values (EIVs) in Different Plant Communities in Subalpine Grasslands of the Giresun Mountains (Turkey)

Russian Journal of Ecology - In this paper, Ellenberg’s indicator values were estimated in order to soil nitrogen (N), pH (R) and soil moisture (M) in different subalpine grassland...     

A climate-change vulnerability and adaptation assessment for Brazil's protected areas

Brazil hosts the largest expanse of tropical ecosystems within protected areas (PAs), which shelter biodiversity and support traditional human populations. We assessed the vulnerability to climate change of 993 terrestrial and coastal-marine Brazilian PAs by combining indicators of climatic-change hazard with indicators of PA resilience (size, native vegetation cover, and probability of climate-driven vegetation transition). This combination of indicators allows the identification of broad climate-change adaptation pathways. Seventeen PAs (20,611 km²) were highly vulnerable and located mainly in the Atlantic Forest (7 PAs), Cerrado (6), and the Amazon (4). Two hundred fifty-eight PAs (756,569 km²), located primarily in Amazonia, had a medium vulnerability. In the Amazon and western Cerrado, the projected severe climatic change and probability of climate-driven vegetation transition drove vulnerability up, despite the generally good conservation status of PAs. Over 80% of PAs of high or moderate vulnerability are managed by indigenous populations. Hence, besides the potential risks to biodiversity, the traditional knowledge and livelihoods of the people inhabiting these PAs may be threatened. In at least 870 PAs, primarily in the Atlantic Forest and Amazon, adaptation could happen with little or no intervention due to low climate-change hazard, high resilience status, or both. At least 20 PAs in the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Amazonia should be targeted for stronger interventions (e.g., improvement of ecological connectivity), given their low resilience status. Despite being a first attempt to link vulnerability and adaptation in Brazilian PAs, we suggest that some of the PAs identified as highly or moderately vulnerable should be prioritized for testing potential adaptation strategies in the near future.     

A fragment constant QSAR model for evaluating the EC50 values of organic chemicals to Daphnia magna.

The quantitative relationship between the median effective concentration (EC50) of organic chemicals to Daphnia magna and the number of molecular fragments was investigated based on experimental EC50 values for 217 chemicals derived from the literature. A fragment constant model was developed based on a multivariate linear regression between the number of fragments and the logarithmically transformed reciprocal values of EC50. Functional correction factors were introduced into the model. The model was verified using an independent set of randomly selected data. The mean residual of the final model was 0.4 log-units. The robustness of the model was discussed based on the results of three jackknife tests.     

The influence of lindane and lindane metabolites on microsomal and mitochondrial ATPase in vitro

In vitro investigations of the influence of lindane and its metabolites were performed on microsomal and mitochondrial ATPases from liver, kidney and brain of rat and mouse. The microsomal Na+-K+-ATPases in rat liver were inhibited by the tested substances. An increase of activity was observed only with 2.5 X 10(-5) M gamma-HCH. Effects on the microsomal Na+-K+-ATPase from kidney and brain of rat were also indicated. The mitochondrial enzyme in rat liver was stimulated by all the compounds tested at concentrations of 10(-4) M - 10(-2) M. The effects on mitochondrial enzymes from kidney and brain varied in dependence on the tested substances. In the microsomes and mitochondria of mouse an influence on the Na+-K+-ATPases similar to the effects on the preparations from organs of rat was evident.     

Prenatal diagnosis of mosaicism for triploidy and trisomy 13

Mosaicism for trisomy 13 and triploidy was detected by amniocentesis performed at 18 weeks' gestation because of fetal anomalies. Pregnancy continued and a live-born male was delivered vaginally at 37 weeks. The infant had features common to both trisomy 13 and triploidy: intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), small abnormal ears, cleft palate, and a small jaw. In addition, he had complete cutaneous syndactyly of fingers 3 and 4 and partial syndactyly of the toes, as seen in triploidy. Mixoploidy for trisomy 13 and triploidy was confirmed postnatally in blood, skin, and placenta. Examination of chromosome heteromorphisms and DNA markers suggested the presence of two maternal contributions in the triploid cell line. In addition, the extra chromosome 13 in the trisomic cell line was derived from the mother. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Composition of Floating Debris in Harbours of the United States

As part of a programme to characterize floating anthropogenic debris in the aquatic environment, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 18 field surveys in the harbours of major metropolitan cities of the east, west, and Gulf coasts of the United States and the Mid-Atlantic Bight. the surveys were designed to provide information on the types, relative amounts, and distributions of aquatic debris in different geographic regions of the United States. Neuston nets (0.33 mm mesh) were used to collect surface debris during outgoing tides on two or three consecutive days in selected areas of each city. After each net tow, the debris, which ranged in size from small resin pellets to large plastic sheeting pieces, was identified, categorized, and counted. the data are being used to qualitatively characterize aquatic debris in coastal metropolitan areas, to examine potential regional variations, and to tentatively identify potential sources.     

Multicriteria Group Decision-making Model for Environmental Conflict Analysis in the Cape Region,Mexico

This paper is concerned with developing a model for group decision making under multiple criteria. The multiple criteria group decision making (MCGDM)problem involves a set of feasible land use patterns that are evaluated on the basis of multiple, conflicting and noncommensurate criteria by a group of individuals. The model integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and an integer mathematical programming method. The former provides a tool for structuring the decision problem and determining land suitability for different socio-economicactivities (the uses of land), the latter is used to identify the land use pattern that maximizes consensus among interest groups. The model is used to analyze environmental conflict over land resource allocation in the Cape Region of Mexico.     

Ammonia production and kinetic properties of glutamate dehydrogenase in the sipinculid Phascolosoma arcuatum exposed to anoxia

The amounts of total NH ₄ ⁺ detected in the external media in which Phascolosoma arcuatum had been exposed to various periods of anoxia were significantly greater than those in which the worms were exposed to normoxia for a similar period. The increased NH ₄ ⁺ production by P. arcuatum during anoxic exposure was unlikely to be due to an increased catabolism of adenine nucleotides or urea. In contrast, there were significant decreases in the concentrations of several free amino acids in the coelomic plasma and body tissues of individuals during the 48 h of anoxic exposure. The amount of NH ₄ ⁺ produced by the anoxic P. arcuatum could be accounted for by the decreases in the concentrations of aspartate or glycine. Increases in the catabolism of free amino acids (FAA), leading to the increased production of NH ₄ ⁺ , in P. arcuatum during anoxia were supported by the detection of significant changes in the kinetic properties of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), in the deaminating direction, from worms exposed to anoxia for 48 h. The apparent increase in the affinity of GDH from the anoxic worm to glutamate would bring about a greater deaminating activity at physiological concentrations of ths substrate. P. arcuatum used in these experiments were collected from the mangrove swamp at Mandai, Singapore between 1990 and 1993.