The Avifauna of Küçük Menderes Delta (Turkey): An evaluation on seasonal pattern of birds

Abstract. We performed monthly point counts for occurrence of bird species in Küçük Menderes Delta between September 2007 and May 2008, for 3 seasons per year. During the observation period 120 bird species that belong to 10 orders and 41 families were recorded. Diversity index and analysis of similarity were applied to time series data. The results were classified using cluster analysis and were ordered using multidimensional scaling for determining seasonal pattern of bird species in delta. As a result, September and May are less similar than other months regarding the species composition. At the same time, there are differences among seasons

The Expressions of Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) Related Genes Under Metal (Cu, Zn and Fe) Toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana

Aim of this work was to investigate effects of toxic levels of Cu, Zn and Fe treatments on small ubiquitinlike modifier (SUMO) machinery of Arabidopsis thaliana. SUMO is a 100-115 amino acid posttranslational modifier that can regulate stability, activity or sub-cellular localization of target proteins. A.thaliana plants were treated with 50 µM Cu, 700 µM Zn and 400 µM Fe for 7 d and then expressions ofgenes related to SUMOylation and deSUMOylation of target proteins were measured with qRT-PCR.Only Cu treatment was able to induce genes related to SUMOylation (SUM3, SAE2, SIZ1) of targetproteins, while all of the three metals used in this study was effective in inducing a deSUMOylationrelated gene. Results of this study indicate that deSUMOylation of proteins might be a part of plantresponse to metal toxicity

Kuraklık stresinin karboksilasyon yolları farklı flaveria türlerinin hücre redoks dengesi üzerine etkisinin araştırılması

Bu çalışmada, C3'den C4 fotosentezine geçiş sırasında reaktif oksijen türlerinin düzenlenmesi ve antioksidan savunma sistemde oluşan değişimleri ortaya çıkarmak amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla C4 evrim sürecinde farklı aşamalarda türlere sahip olan Flaveria cinsi materyal olarak kullanılmıştır. Bu türler farklı karboksilasyon yolaklarına sahip olan Flaveria robusta (C3), Flaveria anomala (C3-C4), Flaveria brownii (C4 benzeri), Flaveria bidentis (C4)'dir. Bu bitkilerin ozmotik stres altında verdikleri yanıtlar fizyolojik parametreler (büyüme, bağıl su içeriği, osmotik potansiyel), fotosentetik parametreler (stomatal iletkenlik, özümseme hızı, elektron iletim hızı), antioksidan savunma sistemi enzimler ve izozimleri (süper oksit dismutaz, katalaz, peroksidaz, askorbat peroksidaz, glutatyon redüktaz), enzimatik olmayan antioksidanlar (askorbat ve glutatyon), NADPH oksidaz aktivitesi, hidrojen peroksit ve lipid peroksidasyon seviyeleri belirlenerek ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Stressiz koşullarda, C3'den C4'e geçişte CAT aktivitesinde düşüş, APX ve GR aktivitelerinde artış belirlenmiştir. Fakat dört türün ozmotik strese karşı yanıtlarında farklılıklar bulunmuştur. C3 F. robusta'da en yüksek H2O2 ve TBARS içerikleri gözlenirken, C4 benzeri F. brownii ve C4 F. bidentis'de bu artışlar çok sınırlıdır. Oksidatif sters en iyi şekilde C4 benzeri ve C4 bitkilerince yatıştırılmıştır. Bu durum C4 bitkilerinde F. bidentis'de yüksek SOD, CAT, POX, APX aktiviteleri ve C4 benzeri F. brownii'de enzimatik olmayan antioksidanların işlerliği ile sağlanmıştır.In the present study, we aimed to elucidate how strategies of reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation and the antioxidant defense system changed during transition from C3 to C4 photosynthesis, by using the model genus Flaveria, which contains species belonging to different steps in C4 evolution. For this reason, four Flaveria species that have different carboxylation mechanisms, Flaveria robusta (C3), F. anomala (C3–C4), F. brownii (C4-like) and F. bidentis (C4), were used. Physiological (growth, RWC, osmotic potential), and photosynthetical parameters (stomatal conductance (gs), assimilation rate (A), electron transport rate (ETR)), antioxidant defense enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductases(GR)) and their isoenzymes, non-enzymatic antioxidant contents (ascorbate, glutathione), NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and lipid peroxidation levels (TBARS) were measured com-paratively under polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) induced osmotic stress. Under non-stressed conditions, there was a correlation only between CAT (decreasing), APX and GR (both increasing) and the type of carboxylation pathways through C3 to C4. The greatest increase in H2O2 and TBARS content was observed in C3 F. robusta, while the least substantial increase was detected in C4-like and C4 plants, suggesting that oxidative stress is more effectively countered in C4-like and C4 species. This was achieved by a better induced enzymatic defense in F. bidentis (increased SOD, CAT, POX, and APX activity) and non-enzymatic antioxidants in F. brownii

Plant response to salinity: an analysis of ROS formation, signaling, and antioxidant defense

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are byproducts of normal plant metabolism and their production is elevated under environmental stresses such as drought, extreme temperature, and salinity. Among these, salinity is a worldwide problem that impacts the fertility of arable lands and sustainability of food security, which is getting more attention due to climate change. Halophytes can survive and reproduce in soils containing high concentrations of salt and have developed adaptation mechanisms at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels including maintenance of ROS metabolism. in this review, we aim to summarize findings related to ROS production, signaling, scavenging, and especially ROS avoidance mechanisms under salt stress. in addition, expressions of antioxidant genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and its close relative, the model halophyte Schrenkiella parvula, are compared. Moreover, time-course expression levels of genes encoding major antioxidant enzymes in the model plant A. thaliana are analyzed with publicly available data to understand rapid responses of antioxidant defense under salt stress. the role of ROS-Ca+2 interaction and involvement of NADPH oxidases in this process are also discussed in the context of the perception and signaling of salt stress

Growth performance and antioxidative response in bread and durum wheat plants grown with varied potassium treatments under ambient and elevated carbon dioxide

It is predicted that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) level will double by the end of the current century. Although the fertilization effect of CO2 on plant growth is well documented, studies that investigate plant nutritional requirements under elevated CO2 are scarce. Potassium (K) is an essential plant nutrient with prominent roles in key physiological processes. Aim of this work, was to determine the effects of K deficiency on plant growth as affected by elevated CO2 and how antioxidant defense systems (activities of SOD, CAT, POX, APX, GR, MDHAR, DHAR, lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activity) respond to K deficiency under ambient (a-CO2: 400 ppm) or elevated (e-CO2: 900 ppm) atmospheric CO2 conditions in durum (Triticum durum cv. Sarıçanak-98) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Adana-99). Plants were grown in hydroponics with sufficient (1850 μM), low (60 μM) or deficient (20 μM) K and under a-CO2 or e-CO2. As expected, e-CO2 promoted biomass production with adequate K supply, however in low and deficient K plants biomass was either not affected or even decreased by e-CO2. It was observed that low or deficient supply of K induced oxidative stress, but e-CO2 had no significant impact on antioxidative response of plants and thus could not alleviate detrimental effects of K deficiency. Under K deficiency, CAT activity decreased in both species but this decrease was accompanied with increases in POX and APX which may be for adapting to the changing environment. In general, responses in antioxidant defense enzymes were linked to K nutritional status of plants rather than e-CO2 conditions

A stratagem for primary root elongation under moderate salt stress in the halophyte Schrenkiella parvula [2]

Schrenkiella parvula, an Arabidopsis-related halophyte, grows around Lake Tuz (Salt) in Turkey and can survive up to 600 mM NaCl. Here, we performed physiological studies on the roots of S. parvula and A. thaliana seedlings cultivated under a moderate salt condition (100 mM NaCl). Interestingly, S. parvula germinated and grew at 100 mM NaCl, but germination did not occur at salt concentrations above 200 mM. In addition, primary roots elongated much faster at 100 mM NaCl, while being thinner with fewer roots hair, than under NaCl-free conditions. Salt-induced root elongation was due to epidermal cell elongation, but meristem size and meristematic DNA replication were reduced. The expression of genes related to auxin response and biosynthesis was also reduced. Application of exogenous auxin abolished the changes in primary root elongation, suggesting that auxin reduction is the main trigger for root architectural changes in response to moderate salinity in S. parvula. In A. thaliana seeds, germination was maintained up to 200 mM NaCl, but post-germination root elongation was significantly inhibited. Furthermore, primary roots did not promote elongation even under fairly low salt conditions. Compared to A. thaliana, cell death and ROS content in primary roots of salt-stressed plants were significantly lower in S. parvula. These changes in the roots of S. parvula seedlings may be an adaptive strategy to reach lower salinity by advancing into deeper soils, while being impaired by moderate salt stress.Japan Society for the Promotion of Science,Grant/Award Number: JP18H0394This work was supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI grant number JP18H03947 (Atsushi Higashitani). Keriman Sekerci obtained a scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, andTechnology (MEXT)Japan Society for the Promotion of Science [JP18H0394]; JSPS KAKENHI [JP18H03947]; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT