8 research outputs found
Forest biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and wood production: modeling synergies and trade-offs for ten forest landscapes across Europe
Original ResearchEurope’s forests provide vital habitat for biodiversity and essential ecosystem services
whose provision must be sustained or enhanced over the coming century. However,
the potential to secure or increase forest ecosystem services, while securing the
habitat requirements of taxa remains unclear, especially within the context of uncertain
climate and socio-economic developments. To tease out the associated trade-offs
and synergies, we used 10 case study landscapes within nine countries throughout
Europe. Starting with the current status of the forests in the case study landscapes,
we simulated forest development 100 years into the future. Simulations were embedded
in three combined climate and socio-economic frame scenarios based on global and
European policies which varied in their climate change mitigation efficiency. Scenarios
were translated into country specific projections of climate variables, and resultant
demands for wood products. Forest management regimes were projected to vary in
response to these scenarios at local scales. The specific combinations of alternative
forest management practices were based on parallel research and input from local forest
stakeholders. For each case study, a specific forest growth simulator was used. In
general, the climate scenarios applied did not cause fundamentally different ecosystem
service outputs at the case study level. Our results revealed almost no reduction in outcomes for biodiversity indicators with an increase in wood production, and in some
cases synergistic results occurred when diversity was actively promoted as part of the
management concept. Net carbon uptake was not strongly correlated with biodiversity,
indicating that biodiversity-friendly forest management doesn’t need to curtail carbon
sequestration. Notably, we obtained heterogeneous results for the relation between
sustainable wood production and net carbon uptake. Most scenarios resulted in a
more or less reduced net carbon uptake over the long term, often due to stand age
class distribution shifts. Levels of sustainable wood production varied widely during
the simulation period, from significant increases (Sweden, Lithuania) to minor changes
(Slovakia, Turkey) and slight decreases (Ireland, Netherlands). We place our results
within the larger context of European forest policy and the challenges of simulating and
contrasting forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services that societies depend on outcomes for biodiversity indicators with an increase in wood production, and in some
cases synergistic results occurred when diversity was actively promoted as part of the
management concept. Net carbon uptake was not strongly correlated with biodiversity,
indicating that biodiversity-friendly forest management doesn’t need to curtail carbon
sequestration. Notably, we obtained heterogeneous results for the relation between
sustainable wood production and net carbon uptake. Most scenarios resulted in a
more or less reduced net carbon uptake over the long term, often due to stand age
class distribution shifts. Levels of sustainable wood production varied widely during
the simulation period, from significant increases (Sweden, Lithuania) to minor changes
(Slovakia, Turkey) and slight decreases (Ireland, Netherlands). We place our results
within the larger context of European forest policy and the challenges of simulating and
contrasting forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services that societies depend oninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Extracellular vesicles as innovative tool for diagnosis, regeneration and protection against neurological damage
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have recently attracted a great deal of interest as they may represent a new biosignaling paradigm. According to the mode of biogenesis, size and composition, two broad categories of EVs have been described, exosomes and microvesicles. EVs have been shown to carry cargoes of signaling proteins, RNA species, DNA and lipids. Once released, their content is selectively taken up by near or distant target cells, influencing their behavior. Exosomes are involved in cell–cell communication in a wide range of embryonic developmental processes and in fetal–maternal communication. In the present review, an outline of the role of EVs in neural development, regeneration and diseases is presented. EVs can act as regulators of normal homeostasis, but they can also promote either neuroinflammation/degeneration or tissue repair in pathological conditions, depending on their content. Since EV molecular cargo constitutes a representation of the origin cell status, EVs can be exploited in the diagnosis of several diseases. Due to their capability to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), EVs not only have been suggested for the diagnosis of central nervous system disorders by means of minimally invasive procedures, i.e., “liquid biopsies”, but they are also considered attractive tools for targeted drug delivery across the BBB. From the therapeutic perspective, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent one of the most promising sources of EVs. In particular, the neuroprotective properties of MSCs derived from the dental pulp are here discussed