Effects of disturbance on sandy coastal ecosystems of N-Adriatic coasts (Italy)

Coastal sand dune landscapes hold habitats of high economic, social and ecological value on a global scale. At the same time, they are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, facing escalating anthropogenic pressures, drawing attention to their resilience as a necessary condition for both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. This study describes the vegetation zonation of the North-Adriatic coastal landscape which suffers from a severe and complex human utilization meanwhile holding high landscape, faunal and floral values. As plant communities, because of their specific nature, are considered good indicators of overall biodiversity and of ecosystem integrity of coastal dune environments, effects of both human and natural disturbance have been analysed through a comparison between real and potential coastal vegetation, using a hierarchical landscape classification approach. To provide a comprehensive framework for sustainable coastal management and development, a multiscale method for the assessment of the conservation status of sandy coastal environment has been applied. The assessing methodology focused first on landscape level by means of structural and compositional indicators. At a more detailed scale, floristic, vegetational and structural aspects of plant communities were analyzed along the main environmental gradient, which develops moving inland from the sea edge. Conservation status of N-Adriatic coastal zonation resulted fairly good at only few sites along the coast, mostly located where urban development and tourism are limited by legislation or simply because of the difficulty in reaching them. Elsewhere, real vegetation is deeply different from the potential zonation: erosion and tourism pressures truncate the first elements of the zonation, while towns and villages, coastal roads, pines plantations and agriculture truncate the last stages and sandy systems are trapped between erosion on the sea side and human settlements inlands, with no space for natural sediment dynamics and communities development

ROLE OF THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR SOX9 IN THE TUMORIGENESIS OF SOME DOMESTIC ANIMALS NEOPLASMS

The first section of the thesis gives a brief overview of the literature about the transcriptor factor Sox9, focusing the attention on its main functions during developmental processes and in acquired deseases. The second section, after a short introduction on Sox9 in Veterinary Medicine, is concerned with the assessment of Sox9 immunohistochemical staining in normal tissues of various animal species, in order to validate this marker in domestic animals. The other sections present the findings of the research, with six original research studies concerning Sox9 immunohistochemical expression in several groups of neoplasms. To better explain Sox9 role in nervous tissue development and in its neoplastic lesions they are treated together with Sox10 in the last work. The table of contents is here reported: The SOX family: Sox9 Sox9 in tissues Sox9 in acquired diseases SOX9 in veterinary medicine: Sox9 in normal tissues of various animal species SOX9 in the skin and hair follicle: Sox9 in canine epithelial skin tumors SOX9 in male gonad : Immunohistochemical expression of Sox9 protein in immature, mature, and neoplastic canine Sertoli cells SOX9 in mammary gland neoplasms: Sox9 expression in feline mammary hypertrophy Sox9 expression in feline mammary carcinomas Sox9 expression in canine mammary neoplasms Sox9 in nervous tissue and neoplasms: Immunohistochemical panel evaluation for differential diagnosis of horse spindle cells tumors

EFEITOS DO VENTO SOBRE CARACTERÍSTICAS ESTRUTURAIS, FISIOLÓGICAS E BIOQUÍMICAS DE MUDAS DE Theobroma cacao L. (Malvaceae) E USO DO SILÍCIO COMO AMENIZADOR DO ESTRESSE

O cacaueiro (Theobroma cacao) é uma espécie perene, de porte arbóreo originária da região do Alto Amazonas. A importância econômica dessa espécie está relacionada principalmente as suas sementes, as quais são utilizadas para a fabricação do chocolate. Dentro do cenário nacional, o Espírito Santo ocupa a 4ª posição como maior produtor, sendo que a maior parte dessa produção se encontra no município de Linhares. No Espírito Santo, o cultivo do cacaueiro, que era sombreado, passou a ser, nos últimos anos, predominantemente a pleno sol. Nessa condição, as plantas encontram-se mais expostas à ação de ventos. Sabe-se que o vento é caracterizado como uma variável ambiental que interfere no crescimento das plantas, contudo, pouco se sabe a respeito de seus efeitos nas características estruturais e fisiológicas do cacaueiro, influenciando seu desenvolvimento. Na tentativa de amenizar estresses abióticos, a adubação silicatada tem se mostrado promissora com efeitos positivos no crescimento, nas trocas gasosas e defesas bioquímicas. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a influência do vento através da análise de trocas gasosas, das características morfoanatômicas, do teor de lignina e de carboidratos estruturais sobre mudas de cacaueiro. A partir dos resultados, avaliaram-se os efeitos de uma possível ação do silício na redução dos estresses causados pelo vento. Para tanto, num primeiro experimento, foram utilizadas mudas do genótipo PS-1319 de T. cacao em duas áreas, sendo uma totalmente exposta ao vento e a outra consorciada com bananeiras, com menor incidência de vento. Foram realizadas análises mensais de crescimento nessas plantas durante 12 meses e ao final desse período, avaliou-se a anatomia foliar, as trocas gasosas, o teor de lignina e carboidratos estruturais. No segundo experimento, mudas do mesmo genótipo foram cultivadas em viveiro e submetidas a tratamentos com silício, aplicado na folha e no solo, nas concentrações de 2 mM e 1 mM, respectivamente. Posteriormente, as mudas foram submetidas a uma fonte de vento com velocidade média de 2,25 m/s, das 11h as 18h, durante 28 dias. Ao final do experimento foram realizadas análise de crescimento, anatomia foliar, teor de lignina e carboidratos estruturais foliares, trocas gasosas e análises enzimáticas e bioquímicas. Os resultados mostram que as plantas mais expostas ao vento apresentaram maior densidade, condutância estomática e maior fotossíntese. Anatomicamente, as folhas foram mais espessas, apresentando maiores parênquimas paliçádico e esponjoso, maior epiderme abaxial e adaxial e maior lignificação e nervura central, que apresentou mais fibras, permitindo que essas plantas fossem mais rígidas. Contudo, houve redução do crescimento. A avaliação sobre os efeitos do silício sobre as plantas sujeitas ao vento demonstrou que a adubação silicatada atuou de maneira positiva promovendo aumento da nervura, com aumento de células floemáticas e parenquimáticas, e da área foliar, levando à manutenção da assimilação de carbono. O silício levou à redução da transpiração e da atividade enzimática da PPO, APX e SOD, proporcionando economia energética

Growth-survival trade-offs and the restoration of non-forested open ecosystems

The growth-survival trade-off has been extensively documented for phanerophyte species, whereas there is little evidence for non-phanerophyte species. However, information on the growth-survival trade-offs in non-phanerophyte species could be of great use in non-forested open ecosystem restoration by providing insights for plant production and transplantation, thus impacting the planning of cost-effective restoration actions. In this study, we explored the relationship between growth and survival of individual plants of non-phanerophyte species used in a coastal dune restoration project, and we investigated whether plant functional traits explained patterns of trade-off between growth and survival. We monitored 355 individual plants of 13 perennial non-phanerophyte species belonging to foredune and transition dune communities every 30 days after planting and calculated relative growth and survival rates. In addition, we regressed the relationship between growth and survival on values of leaf and floral traits. We found that, besides being a widely recognised axis of life history variation in phanerophyte species, the growth-survival trade-off can also be observed in perennial non-phanerophyte species. Species of different coastal dune communities (i.e., foredune vs. transition dune communities) differed with respect to the growth-survival trade-off, with plant species of foredune communities exhibiting higher growth but lower survival rates than plant species of transition dune communities. Leaf dry matter content and mean number of floral displays explained species position on the growth-survival trade-off axis; species with relatively high growth and low survival rates exhibited an acquisitive strategy, with low values of leaf dry matter content, but also a low sexual reproductive effort, as revealed by low number of floral displays. In contrast, plant species with relatively low growth and high survival rates exhibited a conservative strategy but also high sexual reproductive effort, suggesting that trade-offs occur in resource allocation among vegetative and reproductive plant structures. The trade-off we found between growth and survival in perennial non-phanerophyte species provides useful insights for planning cost-effective ecosystem restoration actions of non-forested open ecosystems, especially when the actions are nature-based and involve planting individual plants. The results of this study suggest that individual plant production for coastal dune restoration should disproportionately target plant species of foredune communities because they have low survival rates associated with low sexual reproductive effort. Planning plant production based on ecological knowledge of plant species’ growth and survival after planting in the field could help achieve restoration goals while meeting project cost-effectiveness requirements

EFEITOS DA ADUBAÇÃO FOLIAR COM SILÍCIO NA RESISTÊNCIA DO CACAUEIRO (Theobroma cacao L.) À VASSOURA-DE-BRUXA (Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel) Aime & Phillips-Mora)

RESUMO Efeitos da adubação foliar com silício na resistência do cacaueiro (Theobroma cacao L.) à vassoura-de-bruxa (Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel) Aime & Phillips-Mora) O grande interesse econômico do cacaueiro (Theobroma cacao) é devido, principalmente, à utilização de suas sementes para a produção de manteiga de cacau e chocolate. No entanto, esse agronegócio tem enfrentado uma crise em decorrência da vassoura-de-bruxa, considerada uma das doenças mais destrutivas do cacaueiro e causada pelo fungo Moniliophthora perniciosa. Uma alternativa no manejo de doenças em plantas que tem sido utilizada é a indução de resistência, podendo ser obtida através de tratamentos utilizando produtos a base de silício. Assim o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia de diferentes doses de silício na proteção de plantas de cacaueiro, genótipo Catongo, contra a doença vassoura-de-bruxa por meio da análise de características morfo-fisiológicas e bioquímicas. O delineamento experimental foi em Blocos Casualizados (DBC), com 4 repetições, em arranjo fatorial 2 x 4, constituído de dois fatores de inoculação (inoculado e não-inoculado) e quatro doses de silício (0 mg mL-1 ; 0,5 mg mL-1; 1,0 mg mL-1 e 2,0 mg mL-1) com o produto AgriSil (98% de SiO2), resultando em 32 parcelas com 10 plantas cada, totalizando 320 plantas. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância e regressão. Foram realizadas análises enzimáticas, trocas gasosas, teor de silício foliar e densidade estomática. Plantas inoculadas apresentaram aumento da fotossíntese e das atividades de quitinases e polifenoloxidases com a aplicação de doses crescentes de Si. Já a densidade estomática mostrou-se máxima na dose 0,79 mg/mL de Si, enquanto a concentração máxima de Si nas folhas foi obtida na dose 0,7 mg/mL de Si. Os resultados sugerem que doses crescentes de silício demonstram-se benéficas para amenizar os efeitos causados por M. perniciosa em mudas de cacaueiros. Palavras-chave: cacauicultura, fitopatologia, resistência induzida, quitinase, polifenoloxidase

Increasing the germination percentage of a declining native orchid (Himantoglossum adriaticum) by pollen transfer and outbreeding between populations

The declining native orchid Himantoglossum adriaticum H. Baumann is a European endemic of priority interest (92/43/ EEC, Annex II). Northern Italian populations of H. adriaticum are small and isolated, with depressed seed set. Given the important implications for plant population conservation, we tested the hypothesis that artificial pollen transfer (hand-pollination) and outbreeding between populations increases fruit set and seed germination percentage. The background fruit set and in vitro germination rates were determined for ten reference populations. An artificial cross-pollination experiment included (a) pollen transfer from one large population to two small and isolated populations; (b) pollen transfer between two small but not isolated populations; (c) within-population pollen transfer (control). All seeds were sown on a modified Malmgren's medium and cultured in a controlled environment. Germination percentage was compared using a Kruskal-Wallis anova. The background fruit set (mean = 18%) and germination (<5%) rates were consistently low across populations. Fruit set after hand-pollination was consistently 100%. Pollen transfer from the largest population to smaller populations resulted in an increase in total germination ranging from 0.9% to 2.9%. The largest increase in germination occurred between small-sized and less isolated populations (from 1.7% to 5.1%). The results of pollen transfer between the small populations are particularly encouraging, as the mean increase in germination was almost four times that of the control. Outbreeding can be considered a valuable tool to increase genetic flow and germination in natural populations, limit the accumulation of detrimental effects on fitness driven by repeated breeding with closely-related individuals, thereby increasing the possibility of conservation of rare or endangered species

Mediterranean developed coasts: what future for the foredune restoration?

The feasibility and efficacy of soft engineering foredune restoration approaches still lack insight from research and monitoring activities, especially in areas where dunes are under persisting human disturbance. We evaluated the efficacy of Mediterranean foredune restoration in dune areas freely accessible to tourists. Foredunes were reconstructed using only sand already available at nearby places and consolidated through the plantation of seedlings of native ecosystem engineer species and foredune focal species. We monitored transplanted and spontaneous seedlings for one year to assess their mortality and growth in relation to the distance from the closest beach access, either formal or informal, as proxy of human disturbance.We also tested whether species differing in their ecology (i.e., affinity to a given habitat) and growth form showed different response to human disturbance. The relationship between seedling mortality and growth and the distance from the closest beach access was tested through Generalized Linear Mixed Models. We found a clear spatial pattern of seedling survival and growth, which decreased as the proximity to the closest beach access increased. Only invasive alien plants and erect leafy species showed to better perform at lower distances from beach accesses. In dune areas with a strong tourist vocation, foredune restoration should be coupled with the implementation of integrated management plans aiming at optimising the relationship between protection and use. Management plans should not only rely on passive conservation measures; rather they should include educational activities to stimulate a pro-environmental behaviour, increase the acceptance of behaviour rules and no entry zones, and actively engage stakeholders in long-term conservation

Using fine-scale field data modelling for planning the management of invasions of Oenothera stucchii in coastal dune systems

Invasive alien species risk assessment and adaptive management are often hindered by a lack of information for most species. This work aims at predicting the probability of successful establishment and invasion of Oenothera stucchii Soldano, a neophyte invasive species belonging to the sect. Oenothera subsect. Oenothera, in xerophilous grasslands of grey dunes. Based on fine-scale field data, we modelled O. stucchii presence/absence and abundance as a function of environmental factors, human disturbance, and attributes of the recipient community through a zero-inflated Poisson model. The invasion success of O. stucchii depended on a combination of factors which differed when considering either the patterns of occurrence (species presence/absence) or those of species abundance. While human-driven disturbance strongly influenced the probability of presence/absence of O. stucchii, patterns of abundance were mostly driven by a combination of environmental and biotic features. Attributes of the recipient community remarkably influenced both O. stucchii presence and abundance. Based on fine-scale field data, we determined the mechanisms which drive the spatial patterns of presence and abundance of O. stucchii in xerophilous grasslands and provided quantitative thresholds to identify the most susceptible areas of grey dune habitats prone to invasion, which combine human disturbance (distance from the nearest beach access), attributes of the resident community (resident vegetation cover and structure), and environmental disturbance (foredune ridge height). These results provide useful insights to be used to plan cost-effective measures to prevent O. stucchii establishment and spread in sandy coastal systems. Our model may also be applied to closely related congener species included in the subsect. Oenothera, sharing similar biological and ecological traits

Sox9 expression in canine epithelial skin tumors

Sox9 is a master regulatory gene involved in developmental processes, stem cells maintenance and tumorigenesis. This gene is expressed in healthy skin but even in several skin neoplasms, where its expression patterns often resembles those of the developing hair follicle. In this study, samples from eleven different types of canine skin neoplasms (squamous papilloma, squamous cell carcinoma, infundibular keratinizing acanthoma, inferior tricholemmoma, isthmic tricholemmoma, trichoblastoma, trichoepitelioma, malignant trichoepitelioma, pilomatricoma, subungual keratoacanthoma, subungual squamous cell carcinoma) were immunohistochemically stained and evaluated for Sox9 with the aim to correlate tumor phenotype with molecular characteristics that may help to better define tumor development, contribute to its diagnosis and clinical management. Keratoacanthoma excluded, all the skin neoplasms examined showed a variable positivity to Sox9, especially in the basal layers, but with major intensity in neoplasms developing from the bulge region of the hair follicle, as trichoblastoma. According to our results, Sox9 could be employed as a stem cell marker to better assess the role of stem cells in canine epidermal and follicular tumors