Structural changes caused by selective logging undermine the thermal buffering capacity of tropical forests

Selective logging is responsible for approximately 50 % of human-induced disturbances in tropical forests. The magnitude of disturbances from logging on the structure of forests varies widely and is associated with a multitude of impacts on the forest microclimate. However, it is still unclear how changes in the spatial arrangement of vegetation arising from selective logging affect the capacity of forests to buffer large-scale climate (i.e., macroclimate) variability. In this study, we leveraged hundreds of terrestrial LiDAR measurements across tropical forests in Malaysian Borneoto quantify the impacts of logging on canopy structural traits, using a space-for-time approach. This information was combined with locally measured microclimate temperatures of the forest understory to evaluate how logging disturbances alter the capacity of tropical forests to buffer macroclimate variability. We found that heavily logged forests were approximately 12 m shorter and had 65 % lower plant area density than unlogged forests, with most plant material allocated in the first 10 m above ground. Heavily logged forests were on average 1.5 °C warmer than unlogged forests. More strikingly, we show that subtle changes in the forest structure were sufficient to reduce the cooling capacity of forests during extremely warm days (e.g., anomalies > 2σ), while understory temperatures in heavily logged forests were often warmer than the macroclimate under the same conditions. Our results thus demonstrate that selective logging is associated with substantial changes in the fine-scale thermal regime of the understory. Hence, mitigating and managing logging disturbances will be critical for maintaining niches and thermal limits within tropical forests in the future

Shifts in structural diversity of Amazonian forest edges detected using terrestrial laser scanning

Forest edges are an increasingly common feature of Amazonian landscapes due to human-induced forest fragmentation. Substantial evidence shows that edge effects cause profound changes in forest biodiversity and productivity. However, the broader impacts of edge effects on ecosystem functioning remain unclear. Assessing the three-dimensional arrangement of forest elements has the potential to unveil structural traits that are scalable and closely linked to important functional characteristics of the forest. Using over 600 high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning measurements, we present a detailed assessment of forest structural metrics linked to ecosystem processes such as energy harvesting and light use efficiency. Our results show a persistent change in forest structural characteristics along the edges of forest fragments, which resulted in a significantly lower structural diversity, in comparison with the interior of the forest fragments. These structural changes could be observed up to 35 m from the forest edges and are likely to reflect even deeper impacts on other ecosystem variables such as microclimate and biodiversity. Traits related to vertical plant material allocation were more affected than traits related to canopy height. We demonstrate a divergent response from the forest understory (higher vegetation density close to the edge) and the upper canopy (lower vegetation density close to the edge), indicating that assessing forest disturbances using vertically integrated metrics, such as total plant area index, can lead to an erroneous interpretation of no change. Our results demonstrate the strong potential of terrestrial laser scanning for benchmarking broader-scale (e.g. airborne and space-borne) remote sensing assessments of forest disturbances, as well as to provide a more robust interpretation of biophysical changes detected at coarser resolutions

Land use still matters after deforestation

Careful management of deforested Amazonian land cannot replace, but must complement, efforts to preserve the rainforest. Sustainable agricultural practices that promote diverse uses can help minimise climate and environmental impacts.Peer reviewe

DENSIDADE DE ESTOCAGEM NA ALEVINAGEM DE TILÁPIA-DO-NILO EM TANQUE-REDE

Este estudo foi desenvolvido com o intuito de avaliar densidades de estocagem alevinagem de tilápia nilótica (Oreochromis niloticus) realizado em tanques-rede, durante 43 dias. Utilizaram-se quinze tanques-rede de 0,18 m3, instalados em viveiro com 80% de troca diária da água. As densidades testadas foram: 700, 1.000 e 1.300 alevinos/m3 com peso médio inicial de 4,77 ± 0,29 g. Avaliaram-se as seguintes variáveis de desempenho produtivo: sobrevivência; peso final; comprimento final; biomassa final; conversão alimentar aparente; ganho de peso; ganho de peso diário; taxa de eficiência proteica; taxa de crescimento específico e fator de condição. Utilizou-se análise de variância para avaliação dos resultados e quando significativo aplicou-se teste Tukey a 5%. O tratamento com maior densidade de estocagem diferiu significativamente (p0,05). Concluiu-se que, nestas condições experimentais, as melhores densidades de estocagem na segunda alevinagem em tanques-rede são de 700 a 1.000 alevinos/m3. PALAVRAS-CHAVES: Desempenho produtivo, gaiolas, Oreochromis niloticus, sistema intensivo

Constraining cosmic scatter in the Galactic halo through a differential analysis of metal-poor stars

© ESO 2017.Context. The chemical abundances of metal-poor halo stars are important to understanding key aspects of Galactic formation and evolution. Aims. We aim to constrain Galactic chemical evolution with precise chemical abundances of metal-poor stars (−2.8 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ −1.5). Methods. Using high resolution and high S/N UVES spectra of 23 stars and employing the differential analysis technique we estimated stellar parameters and obtained precise LTE chemical abundances. Results. We present the abundances of Li, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, Y, Zr, and Ba. The differential technique allowed us to obtain an unprecedented low level of scatter in our analysis, with standard deviations as low as 0.05 dex, and mean errors as low as 0.05 dex for [X/Fe]. Conclusions. By expanding our metallicity range with precise abundances from other works, we were able to precisely constrain Galactic chemical evolution models in a wide metallicity range (−3.6 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ −0.4). The agreements and discrepancies found are key for further improvement of both models and observations. We also show that the LTE analysis of Cr II is a much more reliable source of abundance for chromium, as Cr I has important NLTE effects. These effects can be clearly seen when we compare the observed abundances of Cr I and Cr II with GCE models. While Cr I has a clear disagreement between model and observations, Cr II is very well modeled. We confirm tight increasing trends of Co and Zn toward lower metallicities, and a tight flat evolution of Ni relative to Fe. Our results strongly suggest inhomogeneous enrichment from hypernovae. Our precise stellar parameters results in a low star-to-star scatter (0.04 dex) in the Li abundances of our sample, with a mean value about 0.4 dex lower than the prediction from standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis; we also study the relation between lithium depletion and stellar mass, but it is difficult to assess a correlation due to the limited mass range. We find two blue straggler stars, based on their very depleted Li abundances. One of them shows intriguing abundance anomalies, including a possible zinc enhancement, suggesting that zinc may have been also produced by a former AGB companion.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Shifts in structural diversity of Amazonian forest edges detected using terrestrial laser scanning

Forest edges are an increasingly common feature of Amazonian landscapes due to human-induced forest frag-mentation. Substantial evidence shows that edge effects cause profound changes in forest biodiversity and productivity. However, the broader impacts of edge effects on ecosystem functioning remain unclear. Assessing the three-dimensional arrangement of forest elements has the potential to unveil structural traits that are scalable and closely linked to important functional characteristics of the forest. Using over 600 high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning measurements, we present a detailed assessment of forest structural metrics linked to ecosystem processes such as energy harvesting and light use efficiency. Our results show a persistent change in forest structural characteristics along the edges of forest fragments, which resulted in a significantly lower structural diversity, in comparison with the interior of the forest fragments. These structural changes could be observed up to 35 m from the forest edges and are likely to reflect even deeper impacts on other ecosystem variables such as microclimate and biodiversity. Traits related to vertical plant material allocation were more affected than traits related to canopy height. We demonstrate a divergent response from the forest understory (higher vegetation density close to the edge) and the upper canopy (lower vegetation density close to the edge), indicating that assessing forest disturbances using vertically integrated metrics, such as total plant area index, can lead to an erroneous interpretation of no change. Our results demonstrate the strong potential of terrestrial laser scanning for benchmarking broader-scale (e.g. airborne and space-borne) remote sensing assessments of forest distur-bances, as well as to provide a more robust interpretation of biophysical changes detected at coarser resolutions

Dependência tecnológica em universitários de Juiz de Fora- MG / Depression index in medical academics of private institution of Juiz de Fora- MG

As tecnologias tem possibilitado experiências que caracterizam a vida pós-moderna. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o nível de dependência tecnológica de universitários no município de Juiz de Fora. Foi realizado um estudo observacional, transversal, quantitativo, com 342 estudantes universitários do município, no período de agosto a setembro de 2019. Aplicou-se um questionário geral e o questionário IAT (Internet Addiction Test) baseado na Escala de Linkert para avaliar o nível de dependência da internet, composto de 20 perguntas. Os resultados desta pesquisa mostraram que 67,6% dos estudantes da área das ciências exatas apresentam dependência leve, sendo a maioria deste nível de dependência. 25,8% dos estudantes da área das ciências humanas foram relacionados com nível de dependência moderada, e 1,5% deles apresentam dependência grave. Desta forma, estes estudantes são maioria nos dois níveis de dependência. Observou-se que 44,7% dos entrevistados apresentam níveis de dependência leve e apenas 0,9% deles expressam níveis de dependência grave. Portanto, o nível de dependência tecnológica encontrado em universitários no município de Juiz de Fora – MG foi leve. 

A complex scenario of tuberculosis transmission is revealed through genetic and epidemiological surveys in Porto

Tuberculosis (TB) incidence is decreasing worldwide and eradication is becoming plausible. In low-incidence countries, intervention on migrant populations is considered one of the most important strategies for elimination. However, such measures are inappropriate in European areas where TB is largely endemic, such as Porto in Portugal. We aim to understand transmission chains in Porto through a genetic characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and through a detailed epidemiological evaluation of cases.This work was developed under the scope of the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), and supported by contributions from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the European Economic Area Grants under the Public Health Initiative programme, (PT06, Project 000138DT1). TR is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through a post-doctoral grant (SFRH/BPD/108126/2015)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Algae as Protein Factories: Expression of a Human Antibody and the Respective Antigen in the Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Microalgae are thought to offer great potential as expression system for various industrial, therapeutic and diagnostic recombinant proteins as they combine high growth rates with all benefits of eukaryotic expression systems. Moreover, microalgae exhibit a phototrophic lifestyle like land plants, hence protein expression is fuelled by photosynthesis, which is CO2-neutral and involves only low production costs. So far, however, research on algal bioreactors for recombinant protein expression is very rare calling for further investigations in this highly promising field. In this study, we present data on the expression of a monoclonal human IgG antibody against the Hepatitis B surface protein and the respective antigen in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Antibodies are fully-assembled and functional and accumulate to 8.7% of total soluble protein, which complies with 21 mg antibody per gram algal dry weight. The Hepatitis B surface protein is functional as well and is recognized by algae-produced and commercial antibodies