Alcaligenes faecalis associated with Mimosa calodendron rizhosphere assist plant survival in arsenic rich soils.

The ferruginous rupestrian grasslands (FRG) in the Iron Quadrangle (IQ) are ecosystems characterized by rocky soils with reduced availability of water and nutrients, but high levels of metals. In order to comprehend the interference of microorganisms on the adaptive process of endemic plant Mimosa calodendrum (Fabaceae), bacteria associated with its roots and rhizosphere were isolated. Fourteen isolates were obtained and subsequently grown in the presence of different concentrations of arsenic (As) species. The isolate Mc250, an Alcaligenes faecalis strain, resisted to 10 mM of As (III) and 800 mM of As (V). In the presence of this strain, atomic spectrometer detected a reduction of 55% for As (III) and 72% for As (V) respectively in 10 mM and 500 mM solution. Scanning electron microscopy of this isolate demonstrated morphological modification and EDX spectroscopy revealed the presence of both As species adsorbed on the membrane, justifying the removal observed in the in vitro assays. To validate this potential removal of As in vivo, tomato plants were used as grown model in the presence and absence of A. faecalis in soil previously contaminated with 5 mM of As (III). After 14 days, plants from contaminated soil had their growth improved when compared to untreated control plants. All these results suggest for the first time that plant-associated bacteria from FRG-IQ present potential for soil rhizoremediation and may benefit the adaptive processes of plants in extreme environments including application in recovering degraded areas

Avaliação Ecológica Rápida de Qualidade de Água e Bioindicadores Bentônicos no Parque Nacional da Serra do Gandarela, Minas Gerais

Durante uma disciplina de pós-graduação, realizamos uma Avaliação Ecológica Rápida sobre qualidade de água e biodiversidade de bioindicadores bentônicos no Parque Nacional (PARNA) da Serra do Gandarela, MG. Os objetivos foram: (a) capacitar profissionais na utilização de metodologias atuais em Rapid Assessment Protocols (RAP) para estudos de diagnóstico e monitoramento de integridade ecológica de ecossistemas aquáticos em regiões de cabeceira de bacias hidrográficas; (b) contribuir ao conhecimento da biodiversidade aquática em corpos d’água no PARNA Serra do Gandarela; (c) fomentar intercâmbio e colaboração entre mestrandos, doutorandos, guarda-parques, visitantes, membros de comitês de bacia, gestores ICMBio, moradores e interessados na conservação de biodiversidade no Quadrilátero Ferrífero; (d) gerar informações de base sobre qualidade de água, biodiversidade de macroinvertebrados bentônicos bioindicadores de qualidade de água no PARNA Serra do Gandarela. Os principais resultados revelam que o PARNA Serra do Gandarela é guardião de riachos de cabeceira em condições de referência, com elevada diversidade de hábitats aquáticos e ótima qualidade de água, onde vivem organismos bentônicos sensíveis, tolerantes e resistentes à poluição. Sendo a Serra do Gandarela responsável pela segurança hídrica de grande parte dos municípios do Quadrilátero Ferrífero de Minas Gerais, é extremamente importante que estes riachos em condições de referência sejam conservados e utilizados em futuros estudos de avaliação de impactos ambientais e programas de monitoramento de condições ecológicas de longo prazo. As condições de alta preservação devem servir como baliza de referência para tomadores de decisão em processos de licenciamento ambiental de empreendimentos potencialmente causadores de impactos ambientais e riscos à biodiversidade

MODELOS DE DISTRIBUIÇÃO GEOGRÁFICA POTENCIAL:APLICAÇÃO COM PLANTAS AMEAÇADAS DE EXTINÇÃO DAFLORESTA ATLÂNTICA

Exportado OPUSMade available in DSpace on 2019-08-13T02:16:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 kamino_lhy_2009_tese.pdf: 7320790 bytes, checksum: 96f1af14d3ac2cd3f9cdd3d70199a463 (MD5) Previous issue date: 13RESUMOKAMINO, L.H.Y. (2009). Modelos de Distribuição Geográfica Potencial: Aplicaçãocom Espécies da Flora Ameaçada de Extinção da Floresta Atlântica. Tese (Doutorado) Instituto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte.Orientador: João Renato StehmannModelos de distribuição geográfica têm sido utilizados como uma importanteferramenta na biologia da conservação, gerando mapas de distribuição potencial deespécies raras, endêmicas e ameaçadas de extinção. Entre os algoritmos mais utilizadosestá o Maxent, capaz de gerar predições com poucos pontos de presença. O objetivoprincipal deste trabalho é avaliar a aplicabilidade de modelos gerados pelo Maxent paraencontrar novas populações de plantas ameaçadas de extinção da Floresta Atlântica. Oprimeiro capítulo avalia duas espécies arbóreas com ampla distribuição geográfica(Melanoxylon brauna Schott e Dalbergia nigra (Vell.) Allemao ex Benth., Fabaceae),sendo que os dados de ocorrência apresentam baixa precisão geográfica, e as variáveisambientais baixa resolução. Para gerar os modelos foram utilizados os métodos MaxentLPT e o Maxent T10. Os mapas resultantes podem ser interpretados como umaaproximação razoável da distribuição potencial das espécies, com menos de 25 pontosde ocorrência. A taxa de acerto para M. brauna foi de 63% (LPT) e 83%(T10), enquantoque para D. nigra foi de 40% (LPT) e 75% (T10). De acordo com os resultados dotrabalho de campo, os mapas gerados pelos modelos Maxent T10 obtiveram umamelhor acurácia em relação aos modelos Maxent LPT. Considerando o histórico desobreexploração ocorrida no passado e a área de ocupação encontrar-se severamentexviifragmentada, sugere-se que as espécies em estudo sejam mantidas na categoriaVulnerável nas listas de espécies ameaçadas de extinção conforme os critérios da IUCN.O segundo capítulo avalia a modelagem para uma espécie herbácea com distribuiçãogeográfica restrita (Petunia mantiqueirensis T. Ando & Hashim., Solanaceae) comapenas oito pontos de ocorrência, com coordenadas mais precisas que as espéciesarbóreas estudadas no primeiro capítulo. Os modelos apresentaram uma taxa de acertode 87%, sendo considerado estatisticamente significante. Foram registradas nove novaspopulações da espécie em áreas previstas pelos mapas gerados. Os modelos dedistribuição geográfica potencial associados a trabalhos de campo mostraram-se úteispara aumentar o conhecimento sobre a distribuição geográfica atual de espéciesameaçadas de extinção.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Modelos de distribuição geográfica potencial,MAXENT, espécies ameaçadas de extinção, Floresta Atlântica, Melanoxylon brauna,Dalbergia nigra, Petunia mantiqueirensis.ABSTRACTKAMINO, L.H.Y. (2009). Potential Models of Species Geographical Distribution: anessay with threatened species from Atlantic Forest. Ph.D. Thesis Instituto CiênciasBiológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. Advisor: JoãoRenato Stehmann.Potential Models of Species Distribution have been used as important tools inconservation biology, producing maps of expected distribution of rare, endemic andthreatened species. One of the most used algorithms is Maxent, that can predictdistribution with a few occurrence data. The main goal of this work is to evaluate thepredictive models generated by Maxent, as a tool to help finding new populations ofplants threatened of extinction in the Atlantic Forest. In the first chapter two tree specieswith large extent of occurrence are evaluated (Melanoxylon brauna Schott e Dalbergianigra (Vell.) Allemao ex Benth., Fabaceae), and the data of occurrence acquired fromherbarium sheets were of low geographic precision. To generate the models were usedthe Maxent LPT and T10 methods. The resulting maps exhibit na acceptable approachof the species potential distribution, with less then 25 ocurrence data. The set rate for M.brauna was of 63% (LPT) and 83% (T10), and for D. nigra of 40% (LPT) and 75%(T10), respectively. According to the results of the field surveys, the maps generated bythe T10 algorithm had a better accuracy than the LPTs. Considering the level offragmentation and the history of over exploitation of the occurrence area of the species,they are both recommended to be maintained as Vunerable, according to IUCN criteriafor threatened species. The second chapter evaluate the predictive model for one herbspecie of restricted distribution (Petunia mantiqueirensis T. Ando & Hashim.,xixSolanaceae), with only eight known registries, but with more precise references than thetrees of the first chapter. The models showed a set rate of 87%, what are consideredstatistically significant. Nine new populations of P. mantiqueirensis were found inpredicted areas of the model. The Potential Models of Geographical Distributionassociated with field trips were useful to enlarge the knowledge about the occupancyarea of threatened plant species.KEYWORDS: Potential Models of Species Geographical Distribution, Maxent,Threatened Species, Atlantic Forest, Melanoxylon brauna, Dalbergia nigra, Petuniamantiqueirensis

Ferruginous cangas : pedagogical proposal about the conservation necessity of a threatened ecosystem.

A educa??o ambiental (EA), enquanto campo epistemol?gico, pode auxiliar no despertar da compreens?o do papel do indiv?duo no ambiente. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se o resultado da parceria entre o Mestrado Profissional em Ensino de Ci?ncias da Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto e o Instituto Pr?stino, com o objetivo de desenvolver uma cartilha de EA, envolvendo o ecossistema de canga, para professores e alunos do ensino fundamental II. Em Minas Gerais, os ecossistemas ferruginosos ? conhecidos como ?cangas? ? apresentam caracter?sticas abi?ticas que resultaram em um dos ambientes com maior endemismo vegetal do Brasil. Atuando como reserva h?drica que abastece mananciais da regi?o metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, as cangas est?o na lista dos ecossistemas mais amea?ados, em especial pela minera??o. Este artigo fornece conceitos, peculiaridades, import?ncias, amea?as e desafios, al?m de exerc?cios de fixa??o e discuss?o contextualizada, sendo, portanto, uma ferramenta diferenciada para o ensino de Ci?ncias.Environmental Education (EE), while an epistemological field, may assist to awake the comprehension of individuals? role within the environment. In this work, we present the result of a partnership between the Professional Masters Studies in Science Teaching from the Federal University of Ouro Preto and the Pr?stino Institute, aiming to develop an EE textbook involving the canga ecosystem for teachers and students of the basic education. In Minas Gerais, ferruginous ecosystems ? known as ?Cangas? ? present abiotic characteristics that resulted in one of the environments with higher plant endemism in Brazil. Acting as a water reservoir that supplies water sources of the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, the Cangas are on the list of the most endangered ecosystems, especially by mining. This article provides concepts, peculiarities, importance, threats and challenges, in addition to fixation exercises and contextualized discussion being, therefore, a differentiated tool for Science teaching

Biotechnological potential of plant growth-promoting bacteria from the roots and rhizospheres of endemic plants in ironstone vegetation in southeastern Brazil.

Microorganisms associated with plants have a great biotechnological potential, but investigations of these microorganisms associated with native plants in peculiar environments has been incipient. The objective of this study was to analyze the plant growth-promoting bacteria potential of cultivable bacteria associated with rare plants from the ferruginous rocky fields of the Brazilian Iron Quadrangle. The roots and rhizospheres of nine endemic plants species and samples of a root found in a lateritiric duricrust (canga) cave were collected, the culturable bacteria isolated and prospected for distinct biotechnological and ecological potentials. Out of the 148 isolates obtained, 8 (5.4%) showed potential to promote plant growth, whereas 4 (2.7%) isolates acted as biocontrol agents against Xanthomonas citri pathotype A (Xac306), reducing the cancrotic lesions by more than 60% when co-inoculated with this phytopathogen in Citrus sinensis plants. Moreover, other 4 (2.7%) isolates were classified as potential bioremediation agents, being able to withstand high concentrations of arsenite (5 mM As3+) and arsenate (800 mM As5+), by removing up to 35% and 15% of this metalloid in solution, respectively. These same four isolates had a positive influence on the growth of both the roots and the aerial parts when inoculated with tomato seeds in the soil contaminated with arsenic. This is the first time that an investigation highlights the potentialities of bacteria associated with rare plants of ferruginous rocky fields as a reservoir of microbiota of biotechnological and ecological interest, highlighting the importance of conservation of this area that is undergoing intense anthropic activit

Complete genome sequence and analysis of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250, a new potential plant bioinoculant.

Here we present and analyze the complete genome of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250 (Mc250), a bacterium isolated from the roots of Mimosa calodendron, an endemic plant growing in ferruginous rupestrian grasslands in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The genome has 4,159,911 bp and 3,719 predicted protein-coding genes, in a single chromosome. Comparison of the Mc250 genome with 36 other Alcaligenes faecalis genomes revealed that there is considerable gene content variation among these strains, with the core genome representing only 39% of the protein-coding gene repertoire of Mc250. Mc250 encodes a complete denitrification pathway, a network of pathways associated with phenolic compounds degradation, and genes associated with HCN and siderophores synthesis; we also found a repertoire of genes associated with metal internalization and metabolism, sulfate/sulfonate and cysteine metabolism, oxidative stress and DNA repair. These findings reveal the genomic basis for the adaptation of this bacterium to the harsh environmental conditions from where it was isolated. Gene clusters associated with ectoine, terpene, resorcinol, and emulsan biosynthesis that can confer some competitive advantage were also found. Experimental results showed that Mc250 was able to reduce (~60%) the virulence phenotype of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri when co-inoculated in Citrus sinensis, and was able to eradicate 98% of juveniles and stabilize the hatching rate of eggs to 4% in two species of agricultural nematodes. These results reveal biotechnological potential for the Mc250 strain and warrant its further investigation as a biocontrol and plant growth-promoting bacterium

Serratia liquefaciens FG3 isolated from a metallophyte plant sheds light on the evolution and mechanisms of adaptive traits in extreme environments.

Serratia liquefaciens strain FG3 (SlFG3), isolated from the flower of Stachytarpheta glabra in the Brazilian ferruginous fields, has distinctive genomic, adaptive, and biotechnological potential. Herein, using a combination of genomics and molecular approaches, we unlocked the evolution of the adaptive traits acquired by S1FG3, which exhibits the second largest chromosome containing the largest conjugative plasmids described for Serratia. Comparative analysis revealed the presence of 18 genomic islands and 311 unique protein families involved in distinct adaptive features. S1FG3 has a diversified repertoire of genes associated with Nonribosomal peptides (NRPs/PKS), a complete and functional cluster related to cellulose synthesis, and an extensive and functional repertoire of oxidative metabolism genes. In addition, S1FG3 possesses a complete pathway related to protocatecuate and chloroaromatic degradation, and a complete repertoire of genes related to DNA repair and protection that includes mechanisms related to UV light tolerance, redox process resistance, and a laterally acquired capacity to protect DNA using phosphorothioation. These findings summarize that SlFG3 is well-adapted to different biotic and abiotic stress situations imposed by extreme conditions associated with ferruginous fields, unlocking the impact of the lateral gene transfer to adjust the genome for extreme environments, and providing insight into the evolution of prokaryotes