Microalgae: The Next Best Alternative to Fossil Fuels after Biomass. A Review

It is expected that 84% of the global energy demands will be met through fossil fuels in 2030 due to increasing energy needs. However, due to their impact on the environment through the emission of anthropogenic green house gases, biofuels were introduced as alternative sources of energy. Biofuels of plant origin for the transport sector proved to be controversial due to competition for food production, fertile land and expensive production processes. As a secondary alternative, microalgae such as Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlorella vulgaris and Nannochloropsis sp. were found to be suitable candidates for liquid biofuels production. This review describes the production of transportation liquid biofuels from plant biomass and microalgae. Information is provided on how the controversies related to plant biomass lead to the use of algal biomass. The production processes involved in both generations are discussed and highlighted. Furthermore, details on the production of secondary products such as pigments, feed additives and valuable secondary metabolites are also provided

A review of soft corals (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) and their symbionts: Distribution of clades and functionality

Even though soft corals are an integral part of the coral reef ecosystem, very little research has focused on theirendosymbiotic association with the zooxanthellae (Symbiodiniaceae). Symbiotic algae appear in soft corals from both the tropical seas as well as temperate regions across the world. The present study provides a list of soft corals along with their associated zooxanthellae using published data. By combining all the data, 52 soft coral species belonging to 21 genera were identified and their corresponding specific Symbiodiniaceae genera were analysed. It was important to initially compare soft corals and distinguish zooxanthellae at clade level to find any host specificity. The vast majority (75 %) of soft corals predominantly hosted the genus Cladocopium (Clade C) and therefore the focus of this study was to evaluate its geographical distribution. The genus Cladocopium consists of many species which are classified as subclades in this study, exhibiting high intra-clade diversity. For 40 of the 52 soft corals reviewed, 18 % had the same clade type C1 (considered as generalists and ancestral) and 13 % contained the clades C15, C64 and C1:3a, respectively. Analysis showed that some clades (C71a, C15b and C64) were confined to specific geographical regions while clade C1 was distributed worldwide. Understanding the distribution of endosymbionts may enable predictions of which symbioses will survive and exist under future climate change scenarios

Heavy metal bioaccumulation in commercial Lethrinidae fish species in Mauritius

Concentrations of heavy metals arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury and trace elements chromium, copper, nickel and zinc were tested in the muscle tissue of four commercial edible lethrinids fish species from different region of Mauritius. Sky emperor (Lethrinus mahsena) was collected from coastal regions as well as offshore regions (banks) for this study. Blackspot emperor (Lethrinus harak) and spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) were also studied for their popularity in the fish market. Condition factor was calculated for each fish and the highest value obtained was in Lethrinus mahsena collected from offshore regions (2.598 cm/g). Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to analyse copper, nickel and zinc while, graphite furnace technique was used for cadmium, chromium and lead. Mercury levels were evaluated with the cold vapour technique and arsenic with the thermal hydride cell. The level of lead, mercury, copper, nickel and zinc ranged from 0.0011-0.0024 mg/L, 0.0016-0.0036 mg/L, 0.080-0.389 mg/L, 0.566-1.192 mg/L and 0.219-0.422 respectively in wet weight. Interspecies variations in levels of heavy metals and trace elements were observed for nickel and no significant variations occurred for mercury, lead and zinc. Concentrations of heavy metals and trace elements were all within the permissible level except for nickel. As per this study, the Food Act 1998 of Mauritius must be reviewed in order to incorporate the Maximum Permissible Level for nickel

An assessment of plant growth regulators on asymbiotic development and germination of immature embryos of Beclardia Macrostachya (orchidaceae)

<p><em>Beclardia macrostahya</em> is one of the rarest orchids in Mauritius. <em>In vitro</em> techniques are being used for mass propagating this orchid for subsequent restoration programs. Successful asymbiotic germination <em>of</em> <em>Beclardia macrostachya </em>was obtained through embryo rescue. Modified half MS media supplemented with 10% coconut milk was used as basal culture media and the effect of plant growth regulators at different concentrations on embryo development was assessed through qualitative and quantitative parameters. Diameter of embryos, length of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) and length of developing shoots were calculated using digital photography. Maximal growth was obtained in treatments without any plant growth regulators and 0.5mg/l N⁶ Benzyl Amino Purine (BAP). Higher levels of Thiadurazon/TDZ (0.3mg/l) and BAP (1.0 mg/l) though they stimulated embryo development faster, yielded higher level of necrosis later. The results also suggest that plant growth regulator treatments that stimulate fastest embryo development from immature embryos/ovules need not be reliable for further development to PLB and plantlet regeneration.</p

New record of Hypselodoris infucata (Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830) (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Chromodorididae) in the Republic of Mauritius

To date, 179 species belonging to the gastropod infraclass Euthyneura are known from Mauritius. We report for the first time from Mauritius the chromodorid nudibranch, Hypselodoris infucata (Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830), based on 47 sites surveyed over 17 months. This species was previously known from the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Indo-Pacific Ocean, and Western Indian Ocean. We observed it in Mauritius at Bain des Dames near a shipwreck under coral rubble. Considering the small size and camouflage behavior of some nudibranch species, additional fieldwork will likely add others species unknown from the islands

Multigene Phylogenetics and Morphology Reveal Five Novel Lasiodiplodia Species Associated with Blueberries

Botryosphaeriaceous fungi cause stem blight, canker and dieback in woody plants. During a survey on the fungal pathogens associated with blueberries in China, 135 blighted, cankered or dead blueberry branches were collected from Fujian and Shandong Provinces. Based on the morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses of a concatenated ITS rDNA, tef1-α, TUB, and RPB2 loci, five new species of Lasiodiplodia, viz., L. clavispora, L. fujianensis, L. henanica, L. nanpingensis and L. paraphysoides were recognized. Detailed descriptions and illustrations, as well as multigene phylogenies, are provided in this paper. The diversity of plant pathogens on agriculturally and economically important plants is higher than anticipated

A review of nudibranch (Mollusca: Euthyneura) diversity from the Republic of Mauritius: status and future work

Nudibranchs are considered as one of the most diverse group of opisthobranchs. Their history in Mauritius dates back from 1832, with first records arising from expedition reports and systematic works. Recent review of their biodiversity in Mauritius identified 23 species. The present study provides a list of nudibranchs species using data from both systematic works and internet records as a means of keeping up an inventory from the Republic of Mauritius. 105 species belonging to 20 families (excluding undescribed taxa and those recorded as cf.) have been identified in Mauritius. Most species have been collected in the north-west part of the island which is dominated by hotels and not subjected to easterlies which could be one reason explaining their abundance. Providing a list of nudibranchs species is important, to be able to design better ways of conserving them in the future, if the need arises. With a wide maritime zone and considered as a striking biodiversity hotspot, further species might be discovered from both Mauritius and Rodrigues

Multigene phylogenetic analyses to establish new Valsaria species and taxonomic significance of spore ornamentation.

During our studies on fungal diversity from plant substrates, a new species of Valsaria was isolated from dead branches of Ostrya carpinifolia. The taxon is morphologically similar to other taxa in Valsariaceae and is characterized by pseudostromata, apically free pseudoparaphyses, bitunicate asci, and dark brown, 2-celled ascospores. However, it differs from extant species in number of guttules and ornamentation of spore. It is introduced herein as Valsaria ostryae sp. nov. within the family Valsariaceae. Multigene phylogenies based on combined LSU, ITS and RPB2 DNA sequence data generated from maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and MrBayes analyses indicate that V. ostryae is basal to V. lopadostomoides and V. rudis and its establishment as a new species is strongly supported. No discordance was found between our morphological and phylogenetic species boundaries as postulated by other researchers and our molecular data strongly supports ornamentation of spore as useful for species delineation. Valsaria species do not appear to be host specific. Full morphological details are provided herein and phylogenetic relationships of Valsaria species are also discussed in light with host association

Morpho-molecular characterization of Discosia ravennica sp. nov. and a new host record for Sporocadus rosigena

Collections of fungal samples from two dead leaf specimens from Italy were subjected to morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses. Two coelomycetous taxa belonging to two different genera in Xylariomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, namely Discosia and Sporocadus, were identified. The Discosia taxon is revealed as a new species and is herein introduced as Discosia ravennica sp. nov. while the Sporocadus taxon is identified as Sporocadus rosigena. Multi-locus phylogeny based on DNA sequence data of the large subunit (LSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal genes, β-tubulin (β-tub) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) showed that D. ravennica is related to D. neofraxinea but it forms an independent lineage that supports its new species status. The new taxon also differs from other Discosia species by its unilocular to bilocular, superficial and applanate conidiomata with basal stroma composed of cells of textura angularis, elongate-ampulliform conidiogenous cells and conidia smaller in size. Sporocadus rosigena is here reported as a new host record from Quercus ilex from Italy. Descriptions, illustrations and molecular data for both species are provided in this paper