Linking 'citizen scientists' to professionals in ecological research, examples from Namibia and South Africa

The use of trained members of the public (‘citizen scientists’) to help monitor and collect data in science-driven environmental research projects is not a new concept e.g. the Cornell bird program, USA, has been ‘partnering’ with the public since the 1960s (University of Cornell 2008). However, this concept has yet to find much following in developing countries where often the greatest need for conservation lies. We examine the effectiveness of citizen scientists (‘plant custodians’, ‘paraecologists’ and ‘eco-club volunteers’) in monitoring (e.g. species rediscovery, red list classification, range extension) and how it integrates with ecological research (e.g. ethnobotany, livestock census), citing examples from three biodiversity hotspots in Southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa). Information collected by custodians has helped to prioritise plant species that are in need of conservation attention. Paraecologists have played a key role in supporting the fieldwork of researchers. Various eco-club activities have been undertaken with schools, and a network of eco-club volunteers has been developed

Does functional soil microbial diversity contribute to explain within-site plant beta-diversity in an alpine grassland and a <i>dehesa</i> meadow in Spain?

Questions: Once that the effects of hydrological and chemical soil properties have been accounted for, does soil microbial diversity contribute to explain change in plant community structure (i.e. within-site beta-diversity)? If so, at which spatial scale does microbial diversity operate? Location: La Mina in Moscosa Farm, Salamanca, western Spain (dehesa community) and Laguna Larga in the Urbión Peaks, Soria, central-northern Spain (alpine grassland). Methods: The abundance of vascular plant species, soil gram-negative microbial functional types and soil chemical properties (pH, available phosphorus, and extractable cations) were sampled at both sites, for which hydrological models were available. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to partition variation in plant community structure into hydrological, chemical and microbial components. Spatial filters, arranged in scalograms, were used to test for the spatial scales at which plant community structure change. Results: In the case of the dehesa the diversity of soil gram-negative microbes, weakly driven by soil pH, contributed to a small extent (adj-R2 = 2%) and at a relative medium spatial scale to explain change in plant community structure. The abundance of a few dehesa species, both annual (Trifolium dubium, Vulpia bromoides) and perennial (Poa bulbosa, Festuca ampla), was associated with either increasing or decreasing soil microbial diversity. In the alpine meadow the contribution was negligible. Conclusions: Microbial diversity can drive community structure, though in the hierarchy of environmental factors structuring communities it appears to rank lower than other soil factors. Still, microbial diversity appears to promote or restrain individual plant species. This paper aims to encourage future studies to use more comprehensive and insightful techniques to assess microbial diversity and to combine this with statistical approaches such as the one used here

Long-term Variability of H2_2CO Masers in Star-forming Regions

We present results of a multi-epoch monitoring program on variability of 6$\,$cm formaldehyde (H$_2$CO) masers in the massive star forming region NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 from 2008 to 2015 conducted with the GBT, WSRT, and VLA. We found that the similar variability behaviors of the two formaldehyde maser velocity components in NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 (which was pointed out by Araya and collaborators in 2007) have continued. The possibility that the variability is caused by changes in the maser amplification path in regions with similar morphology and kinematics is discussed. We also observed 12.2$\,$GHz methanol and 22.2$\,$GHz water masers toward NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1. The brightest maser components of CH$_3$OH and H$_2$O species show a decrease in flux density as a function of time. The brightest H$_2$CO maser component also shows a decrease in flux density and has a similar LSR velocity to the brightest H$_2$O and 12.2$\,$GHz CH$_3$OH masers. The line parameters of radio recombination lines and the 20.17 and 20.97$\,$GHz CH$_3$OH transitions in NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 are also reported. In addition, we observed five other 6$\,$cm formaldehyde maser regions. We found no evidence of significant variability of the 6$\,$cm masers in these regions with respect to previous observations, the only possible exception being the maser in G29.96$-$0.02. All six sources were also observed in the H$_2^{13}$CO isotopologue transition of the 6$\,$cm H$_2$CO line; H$_2^{13}$CO absorption was detected in five of the sources. Estimated column density ratios [H$_2^{12}$CO]/[H$_2^{13}$CO] are reported.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figure

Hydrological niches in terrestrial plant communities: a review

1. Despite the fundamental significance of water to plants and the persisting question of how competing species coexist, this is the first review of hydrological niches. We define hydrological niche segregation (HNS) as: (i) partitioning of space on fine-scale soil-moisture gradients, (ii) partitioning of water as a resource, and/or (iii) partitioning of recruitment opportunities among years caused by species specializing on particular patterns of temporal variance of water supply (the storage effect). 2. We propose that there are three types of constraint that lead to the trade-offs that underlie HNS. (i) An edaphic constraint creates a trade-off between the supply to roots of O2 on the one hand vs. water and nutrients on the other. (ii) A biophysical constraint governs gas exchange by leaves, leading to a trade-off between CO2 acquisition vs. water loss. (iii) A structural constraint arising from the physics of water-conducting tissues leads to a safety vs. efficiency trade-off. 3. Significant HNS was found in 43 of 48 field studies across vegetation types ranging from arid to wet, though its role in coexistence remains to be proven in most cases. Temporal partitioning promotes coexistence through the storage effect in arid plant communities, but has yet to be shown elsewhere. In only a few cases is it possible to unequivocally link HNS to a particular trade-off. 4. Synthesis. The field and experimental evidence make it clear that HNS is widespread, though it is less clear what its precise mechanisms or consequences are. HNS mechanisms should be revealed by further study of the constraints and trade-offs that govern how plants obtain and use water and HNS can be mechanistically linked to its consequences with appropriate community models. In a changing climate, such an integrated programme would pay dividends for global change research

Isolation of modulators of Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) from Rollinia emarginata Schlecht (Annonaceae)

Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionOrganic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) comprise a superfamily of sodium-independent membrane transporters which are involved in transporting numerous endogenous and exogenous substances. OATPs are expressed in different tissues such as intestine, liver, kidney and brain, and are responsible for the uptake of important drugs including cholesterol-lowering agents (statins), endothelin receptor antagonists (sartans), the anticancer drugs methotrexate, SN-38, paclitaxel and docetaxel, as well as the antibiotic rifampicin. Through a strategic collaboration, we search for novel small molecules from the organic extract of Rollinia emarginata Schlecht. (Annonaceae) that interact with the liver specific OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 applying a bioassay guided isolation approach. The organic extract was fractionated using different chromatographic techniques, and each fraction was tested for its effect on OATP1B1- and OATP1B3-mediated transport of 1µM estrone-3-sulfate and 0.1µM estradiol-17||-glucuronide. Several inhibitors, including both substrate-specific and non-specific, were isolated and chemically identified. For instance, the compound Quercetin 3-O-||-L-arabinopyranosyl (1 ->2)||-L-rhamnopyranoside was shown to inhibit both OATP1B1- and OATP1B3-mediated transport of estradiol-17||-glucuronide by more than 90%, relative to control (DMSO). However, with respect to transport of 1µM estrone-3-sulfate it inhibits OATP1B1 by only 45% while, interestingly, stimulating transport mediated by OATP1B3 (2 fold over control). Thanks to our collaborative efforts, we were able to show that plants can be suitable source of small molecules that modulate OATPs using bioassay guided isolation approach

Experimental investigation of the origin of fynbos plant community structure after fire

Background and aims Species in plant communities segregate along fine-scale hydrological gradients. Although this phenomenon is not unique to fynbos, this community regenerates after fire and therefore provides an opportunity to study the ecological genesis of hydrological niche segregation. Methods Following wildfires at two field sites where we had previously mapped the vegetation and monitored the hydrology, seeds were moved experimentally in >2500 intact soil cores up and down soil-moisture gradients to test the hypothesis that hydrological niche segregation is established during the seedling phase of the life cycle. Seedling numbers and growth were then monitored and they were identified using DNA bar-coding, the first use of this technology for an experiment of this kind. Key Results At the site where niche segregation among Restionaceae had previously been found, the size of seedlings was significantly greater, the wetter the location into which they were moved, regardless of the soil moisture status of their location of origin, or of the species. Seedling weight was also significantly greater in a competition treatment where the roots of other species were excluded. No such effects were detected at the control site where niche segregation among Restionaceae was previously found to be absent. Conclusions The finding that seedling growth on hydrological gradients in the field is affected by soil moisture status and by root competition shows that hydrological niche segregation could potentially originate in the seedling stage. The methodology, applied at a larger scale and followed-through for a longer period, could be used to determine whether species are differently affected by soil moistur

Preparing for an interdisciplinary future: A perspective from early-career researchers

Increasingly, research is moving towards more interdisciplinary endeavours. Effective collaboration between people from different disciplines is necessary to maximise the potential benefits of interdisciplinarity for future research activity. This paper analyses an approach to fostering the skills required for successful cross-disciplinary collaboration from the perspective of an interdisciplinary group of early-career researchers. Our reflection on how specially-designed encounters can help to shape future interdisciplinary research initiatives draws on the discussion of a four-day workshop, a post-event survey, and a review of other experiences. We conclude that interdisciplinary encounters are an effective means to support the development of future interdisciplinary researchers, with a major advantage of this approach being the opportunity for open communication. Depending on the organiser's aim, we distinguish between “cultivation” and “development” encounters. Among the multiple factors that produce successful interdisciplinary encounters, we found that selection of a theme, participants and location need to be tailored to the encounter's particular objectives. We recommend that funding bodies and other members of the research community should take note of the effectiveness of encounters to foster interdisciplinarity and generate space to develop more innovative and high-impact research that delivers solutions to the challenges facing humanity in the future

Application of Phase-Trafficking Methods to Natural Products Research

A novel simultaneous phase-trafficking approach using spatially separated solid-supported reagents for rapid separation of neutral, basic, and acidic compounds from organic plant extracts with minimum labor is reported. Acidic and basic ion-exchange resins were physically separated into individual sacks (“tea bags”) for trapping basic and acidic compounds, respectively, leaving behind in solution neutral components of the natural mixtures. Trapped compounds were then recovered from solid phase by appropriate suspension in acidic or basic solutions. The feasibility of the proposed separation protocol was demonstrated and optimized with an “artificial mixture” of model compounds. In addition, the utility of this methodology was illustrated with the successful separation of the alkaloid skytanthine from Skytanthus acutus Meyen and the main catechins and caffeine from Camellia sinensis L. (Kuntze). This novel approach offers multiple advantages over traditional extraction methods, as it is not labor intensive, makes use of only small quantities of solvents, produces fractions in adequate quantities for biological assays, and can be easily adapted to field conditions for bioprospecting activities