Charophytes of Australia’s Northern Territory – II. Tribe Nitelleae

This study of Northern Territory charophytes deals with the tribe Nitelleae in family Characeae. We recognise 16 species of Nitella for the Territory. The list includes seven previously described species (Nitella belangeri, N. biformis, N. congesta, N. heterophylla, N. micklei, N. myriotricha and N.tumulosa, of which N. belangeri and N. tumulosa are newly recorded for the Australian flora), and nine newly described species (N. acanthospora, N. boreali-australis, N. crocodylus, N. limosa, N.martinii, N. nitida, N. oollooensis, N. silicea and N. townsendii). Of the five previously reported Nitella species in the Northern Territory (N. hyalina, N. myriotricha, N. penicillata, N. pseudoflabellata and N. subtilissima), only N. myriotricha is recorded in this study, because the other records were based on erroneous identifications or localities. All Nitella species described here can be distinguished on the basis of their morphology and reproductive arrangement. Keys, illustrations and descriptions of all the species are provided

Charophytes of Australia’s Northern Territory – I. Tribe Chareae

This study of Northern Territory charophytes documents 22 species in 3 of the genera in tribe Chareae, family Characeae, including 15 previously described species (Chara benthamii, C. erythrogyna, C. globularis, C. karolii, C. lucida, C. porteri, C. protocharoides, C. setosa, C. submollusca, C. wightii, C. zeylanica, Lamprothamnium capitatum, L. compactum, L. stipitatum, Lychnothamnus barbatus) of which 2 are new for the Australian flora (C. erythrogyna and C. wightii), as well as 5 varieties raised to species rank (C. aridicola, C. arnhemensis, C. bancroftii, C. behriana, C. duriuscula), and 2 newly described species (C. lamprothamniformis, C. schultae). Three previously reported species in the tribe (C. braunii, C. corallina, C. fibrosa) are not recorded from the Northern Territory in this study, as previous records were based on erroneous identifications or localities. Although Northern Territory specimens of Lychnothamnus barbatus have not been seen, it has been included in this treatment, because it occurs in south-eastern Queensland, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. A key, illustrations and descriptions of all the species are provided

How Can Diet Influence the Risk of Stroke?

Cerebrovascular diseases are the second cause of mortality in the world, and hypertension is considered a main risk factor for occurrence of stroke. The mechanisms responsible for the increased stroke risk remain unclear. However, dietary interventions have been applied in the management and treatment of their risk factors, which include increased blood pressure levels, obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Further studies should be conducted to assess the effects of carotenoids, flavonoids, n-3 polyunsaturated fats, and lower salt and high glycemic index intake in risk of stroke

Engaging People in Nature Stewardship Through Master Naturalist Programs

Master Naturalist programs across the country have reconnected Americans with nature for \u3e20 years. Research suggests that reconnecting humans with nature benefits personal health and wellness, educates stakeholders about the importance of conservation, and enhances individual participation in stewardship efforts. Nationally, the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs coordinates and supports Master Naturalist programs through facilitating collaboration and sharing of resources, as well as organizing an annual conference. We explore the Virginia Master Naturalist and Utah Master Naturalist programs as 2 examples of different, but highly effective, statewide programs to highlight the diversity of Master Naturalist programs. The Virginia Master Naturalist was created in partnership with 5 state agencies. It is coordinated at a local chapter level, taught entirely in person, and has the primary purpose to train volunteers who support natural resource conservation in the state. The Utah Master Naturalist, in contrast, was created by Utah State University Cooperative Extension. Centrally coordinated at the state level, it is partially taught online and focuses more on connecting a highly urbanized population to the vast natural areas around the state. Master Naturalist programs provide unique opportunities for scientists and resource managers to engage the public and promote stewardship through education, volunteer opportunities, and citizen science. This mutualistic relationship benefits not only the public that learns from experts and participates in real-world management projects, but also the managers who achieve a broader impact of their work and receive valuable volunteer assistance in fulfilling their management goals

Two new species of Nitella (Characeae, Charophyceae) from arid-zone claypan wetlands in Australia

Two new species of Nitella Ag. are described. The species are dioecious and grow in temporary arid-zone wetlands called 'claypans'. Both have somewhat inflated, bicelluate fertile dactyls and neither species has mucus associated with the reproductive whorls. Nitella parooensis M.T.Casanova & J.LPorter is characterised by its apparently pluricelluate sterile branchlets with acute, conical end cells, inflated bicellulate dactyls and uniquely twisted oogonia and oospores. Nitella micklei M.T.Casanova is characterised by a crisp, inflated appearance, large antheridia and distinctive oospores. The ornamentation on the oospores of both species is essentially reticulate, but for N. micklei there are 1 -2 thickwalled meshes across the fossa, and in mature oospores of N. parooensis the 3-4 meshes have scattered, acute papillae within them

Ultrasonido para la evaluación de la deglución: una revisión narrativa

The present study explores evidence on swallowing assessment using ultrasound technique. Regarding the search strategy, the review was carried out in PubMed and Scielo, using an adaptation of the recommendations from the Cochrane manual for systematic reviews. The terms "Deglutition" "Swallowing", "Ultrasonography" and "Ultrasound" were selected in English and Spanish. Original studies published between January 2000 and January 2019 were initially selected. According to the elegibility criteria, 24 original studies dealing with the use of ultrasound to evaluate some aspect of swallowing in both oral and pharyngeal stages. Selected articles offer quantitative data on swallowing parameters and indicators. From these studies, qualitative and quantitative information on lingual mobility, laryngeal elevation, lateral pharyngeal mobility, hyoid mobility, genihyoid muscle mobility, upper esophageal sphincter opening, glotic closure was collected, in addition to studies on the possibility of detecting episodes of laryngeal penetration and aspiration. The results suggest that there is positive evidence on the usefulness of ultrasound to assess swallowing, however, more studies are required to analyze diagnostic efficiency in a population with dysphagia.El presente estudio explora evidencia sobre la evaluación de la deglución, usando la técnica de ultrasonido. En relación a la estrategia búsqueda, la revisión se desarrolló en PubMed y Scielo, utilizando una adaptación de las recomendaciones del manual Cochrane para revisiones sistemáticas. Se seleccionaron los términos “Deglutition” “Swallowing”, “Ultrasonography” y “Ultrasound” en inglés y en español. Se incluyeron inicialmente estudios originales publicados entre enero del 2000 y enero del 2019. De acuerdo con los criterios de elegibilidad, se incluyeron 24 artículos originales sobre el uso de ultrasonido para evaluar algún aspecto de la deglución en las etapas oral y faríngeas. Los artículos seleccionados ofrecen datos cuantitativos de parámetros e indicadores de la deglución. A partir de estos estudios, se recogió información cualitativa y cuantitativa sobre la movilidad lingual, la elevación laríngea, la movilidad faríngea lateral, la movilidad del hioides, la movilidad del músculo genihioideo, la apertura del esfínter esofágico superior, el cierre glótico, además de estudios sobre la posibilidad de detectar episodios de penetración laríngea y aspiración. Los resultados sugieren que existe evidencia positiva sobre la utilidad del ultrasonido para evaluar la deglución, sin embargo, se requiere de más estudios que analicen la eficiencia diagnóstica en población con disfagia

Future wet grasslands:ecological implications of climate change

Wet grasslands are threatened by future climate change, yet these are vital ecosystems for both conservation and agriculture, providing livelihoods for millions of people. These biologically diverse, transitional wetlands are defined by an abundance of grasses and periodic flooding, and maintained by regular disturbances such as grazing or cutting. This study summarizes relevant climate change scenarios projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and identifies implications for wet grasslands globally and regionally. Climate change is predicted to alter wet grassland hydrology, especially through warming, seasonal precipitation variability, and the severity of extreme events such as droughts and floods. Changes in the diversity, composition, and productivity of vegetation will affect functional and competitive relations between species. Extreme storm or flood events will favor ruderal plant species able to respond rapidly to environmental change. In some regions, wet grasslands may dry out during heatwaves and drought. C4 grasses and invasive species could benefit from warming scenarios, the latter facilitated by disturbances such as droughts, floods, and possibly wildfires. Agriculture will be affected as forage available for livestock will likely become less reliable, necessitating adaptations to cutting and grazing regimes by farmers and conservation managers, and possibly leading to land abandonment. It is recommended that agri-environment schemes, and other policies and practices, are adapted to mitigate climate change, with greater emphasis on water maintenance, flexible management, monitoring, and restoration of resilient wet grasslands

Development of a wetland plant indicator list to inform the delineation of wetlands in New South Wales

Wetlands experience fluctuating water levels, so their extent varies spatially and temporally. This characteristic is widespread and likely to increase as global temperatures and evaporation rates increase. The temporary nature of wetlands can confound where a wetland begins and ends, resulting in unreliable mapping and determination of wetland areas for inventory, planning or monitoring purposes. The occurrence of plants that rely on the presence of water for part or all of their life history can be a reliable way to determine the extent of water-affected ecosystems. A wetland plant indicator list (WPIL) could enable more accurate mapping and provide a tool for on-ground validation of wetland boundaries. However, this introduces the problem of the definition of 'wetland plant', especially with species that can tolerate, or require, water level fluctuation, and that respond to flooding or drought by adjusting their morphology or phenology (i.e. 'amphibious' plants and those that grow only during drawdown). In this study we developed a WPIL through a process of expert elicitation. The expert decisions were compared and standardised for each species. It is envisaged that this work will lead to a comprehensive listing of wetland plants for Australia for the purposes of planning, mapping and management. © 2019 CSIRO

Belvédère-Campomoro – Capu di Lugu

Les recherches sur les monuments mégalithiques du plateau de Capu di Lugu ont été poursuivies en 2014. Nous disposons désormais d’une géolocalisation précise de ces gisements. Toutefois, leur caractérisation et leur chronologie restent incertaines. Au regard de ces imprécisions, deux d’entre eux ont fait l’objet d’un examen plus poussé : Le groupe de menhirs de Stantare sous la forme de sondages limités, dont un au pied du menhir dressé afin de détecter sa fosse d’implantation et d’apprécier ..

Ecology of charophytes – permanent pioneers and ecosystem engineers

For almost a century, charophytes have been regarded as a group that is confined to low-nutrient-clear water conditions. In light of recent research, this generalisation of the ecological niche dimensions of charophytes has changed and now includes more facets of ecological existence. In this review, the current knowledge with respect to species-specificity as well as temporal aspects – ontogenetic and successional ones – of the ecological requirements of charophytes are presented and discussed. This review identifies new directions for ecological research on charophytes as well as knowledge gaps to be filled, not just for reasons of academic curiosity, but also for applied purposes such as lake restoration, bioremediation and bioindication of water quality and water regime