Technical Note: A new device for cervical insemination of sheep - design and field test1

Deep semen deposition, avoiding retrograde flow, lesions and stress, has proved to be very important in the success of sheep AI. The objective of the present study was to develop a new, suitable antiretrograde flow device for sheep cervical AI (DARIO) that enables deep deposition of semen into the cervix without any modifications to the procedures currently used, and to compare the fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates between DARIO and a traditional catheter. Field tests were performed on 16 farms actively participating in the non-profit National Association of Rasa Aragonesa Breeders genetic selection scheme and where sheep management was similar. A total of 242 AI lots were considered, including 1, 299 ewes; 126 lots (662 ewes) were inseminated using DARIO, and 116 lots (637 ewes) using a traditional commercially-available catheter (control group). Several factors affecting AI results were included in the model for mean comparison between DARIO and control groups (farm and ram as random factors; catheter, year and photoperiod as fixed effects; catheter vó photoperiod interaction). The type of catheter had a significant effect on fertility (P < 0.01) and fecundity rates (P < 0.01) but no significant effect was detected on the prolificacy rate (P = 0.45). For fertility rate (percentage of ewes lambing after AI), means ¬± SE for DARIO and control groups were 59.44 ¬± 2.13% and 49.60 ¬± 2.48%, respectively; for fecundity rates, means ¬± SE for DARIO and control groups were 0.99 ¬± 0.04 and 0.82 ¬± 0.05 lambs/inseminated ewe, respectively, and, for prolificacy rates, means ¬± SE for DARIO and control groups were 1.68 ¬± 0.04 and 1.63 ¬± 0.04 lambs/ewe lambing, respectively. Fertility rate was greater in the decreasing photoperiod (P = 0.01). Significant effects were found for both year (P < 0.05) and farm (P < 0.01) on fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates. Neither ram nor catheter vó photoperiod showed any significant effects on the variables investigated (P > 0.05). Overall, the use of DARIO instead of the traditional commercially-available catheter increased both fertility and fecundity rates; the marginal mean differences were 9.05 pregnant ewes per 100 inseminated and 0.15 lambs per inseminated ewe, respectively

Influence of Management Practices on Economic and Enviromental Performance of Crops. A Case Study in Spanish Horticulture

This article assesses the effect of management practices on the environmental and economic performance of tigernut production. Tigernut is a horticultural crop grown in a very limited and homogeneous area. Results show that the environmental variability among farms was greater than variability in costs. A selection of practices can reduce impacts per kilogram tigernut by factors 252.5 (abiotic depletion), 33 (aquatic ecotoxicity), or 6 (global warming) and costs by factors of between 2 and 3. The analysis shows a positive relationship between economic and environmental performance. Results highlight how proper management leads to both relatively low environmental impacts and costs.The authors acknowledge the support of the Conselleria d'Empresa, Universitat i Ciencia de la Generalitat Valenciana (GV/2007/211) and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (PAID05-08-316).Fenollosa Ribera, ML.; Ribal Sanchis, FJ.; Lidón Cerezuela, AL.; Bautista Carrascosa, I.; Juraske, R.; Clemente Polo, G.; Sanjuán Pellicer, MN. (2014). Influence of Management Practices on Economic and Enviromental Performance of Crops. A Case Study in Spanish Horticulture. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. 38(6):635-659. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2014.896302635659386De Backer, E., Aertsens, J., Vergucht, S., & Steurbaut, W. (2009). Assessing the ecological soundness of organic and conventional agriculture by means of life cycle assessment (LCA). British Food Journal, 111(10), 1028-1061. doi:10.1108/00070700910992916Basset-Mens, C., Anibar, L., Durand, P., & van der Werf, H. M. G. (2006). Spatialised fate factors for nitrate in catchments: Modelling approach and implication for LCA results. Science of The Total Environment, 367(1), 367-382. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.12.026Basset-Mens, C., Kelliher, F. M., Ledgard, S., & Cox, N. (2009). Uncertainty of global warming potential for milk production on a New Zealand farm and implications for decision making. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 14(7), 630-638. doi:10.1007/s11367-009-0108-2Blengini, G. A., & Busto, M. (2009). The life cycle of rice: LCA of alternative agri-food chain management systems in Vercelli (Italy). Journal of Environmental Management, 90(3), 1512-1522. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.10.006Carlsson Reich, M. (2005). Economic assessment of municipal waste management systems—case studies using a combination of life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). Journal of Cleaner Production, 13(3), 253-263. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.02.015Contreras, W. A., Lidón, A. L., Ginestar, D., & Bru, R. (2009). Compartmental model for nitrogen dynamics in citrus orchards. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 50(5-6), 794-805. doi:10.1016/j.mcm.2009.05.008Prudêncio da Silva, V., van der Werf, H. M. G., Spies, A., & Soares, S. R. (2010). Variability in environmental impacts of Brazilian soybean according to crop production and transport scenarios. Journal of Environmental Management, 91(9), 1831-1839. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.04.001Jan, P., Dux, D., Lips, M., Alig, M., & Dumondel, M. (2012). On the link between economic and environmental performance of Swiss dairy farms of the alpine area. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 17(6), 706-719. doi:10.1007/s11367-012-0405-zJuraske, R., & Sanjuán, N. (2011). Life cycle toxicity assessment of pesticides used in integrated and organic production of oranges in the Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. Chemosphere, 82(7), 956-962. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.10.081Lidón, A., Ramos, C., & Rodrigo, A. (1999). Comparison of drainage estimation methods in irrigated citrus orchards. Irrigation Science, 19(1), 25-36. doi:10.1007/s002710050068McDevitt, J. E., & Milà i Canals, L. (2011). Can life cycle assessment be used to evaluate plant breeding objectives to improve supply chain sustainability? A worked example using porridge oats from the UK. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9(4), 484-494. doi:10.1080/14735903.2011.584473Michelsen, J. (2001). Recent Development and Political Acceptance of Organic Farming in Europe. Sociologia Ruralis, 41(1), 3-20. doi:10.1111/1467-9523.00167Meisterling, K., Samaras, C., & Schweizer, V. (2009). Decisions to reduce greenhouse gases from agriculture and product transport: LCA case study of organic and conventional wheat. Journal of Cleaner Production, 17(2), 222-230. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.04.009Mouron, P., Nemecek, T., Scholz, R. W., & Weber, O. (2006). Management influence on environmental impacts in an apple production system on Swiss fruit farms: Combining life cycle assessment with statistical risk assessment. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 114(2-4), 311-322. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2005.11.020Mouron, P., Scholz, R. W., Nemecek, T., & Weber, O. (2006). Life cycle management on Swiss fruit farms: Relating environmental and income indicators for apple-growing. Ecological Economics, 58(3), 561-578. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2005.08.007Pascual, B., Maroto, J. V., LóPez-Galarza, Sa., Sanbautista, A., & Alagarda, J. (2000). Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus boeck.): An unconventional crop. studies related to applications and cultivation. Economic Botany, 54(4), 439-448. doi:10.1007/bf02866543Ribal, J., Sanjuán, N., Clemente, G., & Fenollosa, M. L. (2011). Medición de la ecoeficiencia en procesos productivos en el sector agrario. Caso de estudio sobre producción de cítricos. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales, 9(2), 125. doi:10.7201/earn.2009.02.06Rosenbaum, R. K., Bachmann, T. M., Gold, L. S., Huijbregts, M. A. J., Jolliet, O., Juraske, R., … Hauschild, M. Z. (2008). USEtox—the UNEP-SETAC toxicity model: recommended characterisation factors for human toxicity and freshwater ecotoxicity in life cycle impact assessment. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 13(7), 532-546. doi:10.1007/s11367-008-0038-4Sanjuan, N., Ribal, J., Clemente, G., & Fenollosa, M. L. (2011). Measuring and Improving Eco-efficiency Using Data Envelopment Analysis. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 15(4), 614-628. doi:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2011.00347.xSanjuan, N., Ubeda, L., Clemente, G., Mulet, A., & Girona, F. (2005). LCA of integrated orange production in the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain). International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 4(2), 163. doi:10.1504/ijarge.2005.007198Saxton, K. E., Rawls, W. J., Romberger, J. S., & Papendick, R. I. (1986). Estimating Generalized Soil-water Characteristics from Texture1. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 50(4), 1031. doi:10.2136/sssaj1986.03615995005000040039xThomassen, M. A., Dolman, M. A., van Calker, K. J., & de Boer, I. J. M. (2009). Relating life cycle assessment indicators to gross value added for Dutch dairy farms. Ecological Economics, 68(8-9), 2278-2284. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.02.011Tzilivakis, J., Jaggard, K., Lewis, K. A., May, M., & Warner, D. J. (2005). Environmental impact and economic assessment for UK sugar beet production systems. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 107(4), 341-358. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2004.12.016Van der Werf, H. M. G., Kanyarushoki, C., & Corson, M. S. (2009). An operational method for the evaluation of resource use and environmental impacts of dairy farms by life cycle assessment. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(11), 3643-3652. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.07.003Van Zeijts, H., Leneman, H., & Wegener Sleeswijk, A. (1999). Fitting fertilisation in LCA: allocation to crops in a cropping plan. Journal of Cleaner Production, 7(1), 69-74. doi:10.1016/s0959-6526(98)00040-7Venkat, K. (2012). Comparison of Twelve Organic and Conventional Farming Systems: A Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Perspective. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 36(6), 620-649. doi:10.1080/10440046.2012.67237

Graphene oxide: key to efficient charge extraction and suppression of polaronic transport in hybrids with poly (3-hexylthiophene) nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) of conjugated polymers in intimate contact with sheets of graphene oxide (GO) constitute a promising class of water-dispersible nanohybrid materials of increased interest for the design of sustainable and improved optoelectronic thin-film devices, revealing properties exclusively pre-established upon their liquid-phase synthesis. In this context, we report for the first time the preparation of a P3HTNPs–GO nanohybrid employing a miniemulsion synthesis approach, whereby GO sheets dispersed in the aqueous phase serve as a surfactant. We show that this process uniquely favors a quinoid-like conformation of the P3HT chains of the resulting NPs well located onto individual GO sheets. The accompanied change in the electronic behavior of these P3HTNPs, consistently confirmed by the photoluminescence and Raman response of the hybrid in the liquid and solid states, respectively, as well as by the properties of the surface potential of isolated individual P3HTNPs–GO nano-objects, facilitates unprecedented charge transfer interactions between the two constituents. While the electrochemical performance of nanohybrid films is featured by fast charge transfer processes, compared to those taking place in pure P3HTNPs films, the loss of electrochromic effects in P3HTNPs–GO films additionally indicates the unusual suppression of polaronic charge transport processes typically encountered in P3HT. Thus, the established interface interactions in the P3HTNPs–GO hybrid enable a direct and highly efficient charge extraction channel via GO sheets. These findings are of relevance for the sustainable design of novel high-performance optoelectronic device structures based on water-dispersible conjugated polymer nanoparticles

Environmental-dependent proline accumulation in plants living on gypsum soils

[EN] Biosynthesis of proline¿or other compatible solutes¿is a conserved response of all organisms to different abiotic stress conditions leading to cellular dehydration. However, the biological relevance of this reaction for plant stress tolerance mechanisms remains largely unknown, since there are very few available data on proline levels in stress-tolerant plants under natural conditions. The aim of this work was to establish the relationship between proline levels and different environmental stress factors in plants living on gypsum soils. During the 2-year study (2009¿2010), soil parameters and climatic data were monitored, and proline contents were determined, in six successive samplings, in ten taxa present in selected experimental plots, three in a gypsum area and one in a semiarid zone, both located in the province of Valencia, in south-east Spain. Mean proline values varied significantly between species; however, seasonal variations within species were in many cases even wider, with the most extreme differences registered in Helianthemum syriacum (almost 30 lmol g-1 of DW in summer 2009, as compared to ca. 0.5 in spring, in one of the plots of the gypsum zone). Higher proline contents in plants were generally observed under lower soil humidity conditions, especially in the 2009 summer sampling preceded by a severe drought period. Our results clearly show a positive correlation between the degree of environmental stress and the proline level in most of the taxa included in this study, supporting a functional role of proline in stress tolerance mechanisms of plants adapted to gypsum. However, the main trigger of proline biosynthesis in this type of habitat, as in arid or semiarid zones, is water deficit, while the component of ¿salt stress¿ due to the presence of gypsum in the soil only plays a secondary role.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CGL2008-00438/BOS), with contribution from the European Regional Development Fund.Boscaiu, M.; Bautista Carrascosa, I.; Lidón Cerezuela, AL.; Llinares Palacios, JV.; Lull, C.; Donat-Torres, M.; Mayoral García-Berlanga, O.... (2013). Environmental-dependent proline accumulation in plants living on gypsum soils. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. 35:2193-2204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1256-3S2193220435Alvarado JJ, Ruiz JM, López-Cantarero I, Molero J, Romero L (2000) Nitrogen metabolism in five plant species characteristic of gypsiferous soils. J Plant Physiol 156:612–616Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216Bates LS, Waldren RP, Teare ID (1973) Rapid determination of free proline for water stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–207Briens M, Larher F (1982) Osmoregulation in halophytic higher plants: a comparative study of soluble carbohydrates, polyols, betaines and free proline. Plant, Cell Environ 5:287–292Burriel F, Hernando V (1947) Nuevo método para determinar el fósforo asimilable en los suelos. Anales de Edafología y Fisiología Vegetal 9:611–622Caballero I, Olano JM, Loidi J, Escudero A (2003) Seed bank structure along a semi-arid gypsum gradient in Central Spain. J Arid Environ 55:287–299Escudero A, Carnes LF, Pérez García F (1997) Seed germination of gypsophytes and gypsovags in semi-arid central Spain. J Arid Environ 36:487–497Escudero A, Somolinos RC, Olano JM, Rubio A (1999) Factors controlling the establishment of Helianthemum squamatum, an endemic gypsophite of semi-arid Spain. J Ecol 87:290–302FAO (1990) Management of gypsiferous soils. FAO Soils Bull 62Ferriol M, Pérez I, Merle H, Boira H (2006) Ecological germination requirements of the aggregate species Teucrium pumilum (Labiatae) endemic to Spain. Plant Soil 284:205–216Flowers TJ, Colmer TD (2008) Salinity tolerance in halophytes. New Phytol 179:945–963Flowers TJ, Troke PF, Yeo AR (1977) The mechanism of salt tolerance in halophytes. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 28:89–121Gil R, Lull C, Boscaiu M, Bautista I, Lidón A, Vicente O (2011) Soluble carbohydrates as osmolytes in several halophytes from a Mediterranean salt marsh. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 39(2):9–17Grigore MN, Boscaiu M, Vicente O (2011) Assessment of the relevance of osmolyte biosynthesis for salt tolerance of halophytes under natural conditions. Eur J Plant Sci Biotech 5:12–19Hare PD, Cress WA, Van Standen J (1998) Dissecting the roles of osmolyte accumulation during stress. Plant Cell Environ 21:535–553Keeney DR, Nelson DW (1982) Nitrogen inorganic forms. In: Page AL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2: chemical and microbiological properties. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 643–698Knudsen D, Peterson GA, Pratt PF (1982) Lithium, Sodium and Potassium. In: Page AL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2: chemical and microbiological properties. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 225–246Kuo S (1996) Phosphorus. In: Spark DL (ed) Methods of soil analysis: chemical methods, part 3. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 869–919Martens H, Maes T (1989) Multivariate calibration. Wiley, New York, pp 97–108Martínez-Duro E, Ferrandis P, Escudero A, Luzuriaga AL, Herranz JM (2010) Secondary old-field succession in an ecosystem with restrictive soils: does time from abandonment matter? Appl Veg Sci 13:234–248Meyer SE (1986) The ecology of gypsophile endemism in the eastern Mojave desert. Ecology 67:1303–1313Meyer SE, García-Moya E (1989) Plant community patterns and soil moisture regime in gypsum grasslands of north central Mexico. J Arid Environ 16:147–155Meyer SE, García-Moya E, Lagunes-Espinoza LC (1992) Topographic and soil surface effects on gypsophile plant community patterns in central Mexico. J Veg Sci 3:429–438Moruno F, Soriano P, Vicente O, Boscaiu M, Estrelles E (2011) Opportunistic germination behaviour of Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae) in two priority habitats from semi-arid Mediterranean steppes. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 39(1):18–23Mota JF, Sánchez Gómez P, Merlo Calvente ME, Catalán Rodríguez P, Laguna Lumbreras E, de la Cruz Rot M, Navarro Reyes FB, Marchal Gallardo F, Bartolomé Esteban C, Martínez Labarga JM, Sainz Ollero H, Valle Tendero F, Serra Laliga L, Martínez Hernández F, Garrido Becerra JA, Pérez García FJ (2009) Aproximación a la checklist de los gipsófitos ibéricos. Anales de Biología 31:71–80Murakeözy ÉP, Nagy Z, Duhazé C, Bouchereau A, Tuba Z (2003) Seasonal changes in the levels of compatible osmolytes in three halophytic species of inland saline vegetation in Hungary. J Plant Physiol 160:395–401Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1982) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Page AL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2: chemical and microbiological properties. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 539–577Palacio S, Escudero A, Montserrat-Martí G, Maestro M, Milla R, Albert M (2007) Plants living on gypsum: beyond the specialist model. Ann Bot 99:333–343Parsons RF (1977) Gypsophily in plants—a review. Am Midl Nat 96:1–20Pueyo Y, Alados CL, Maestro M, Komac B (2007) Gypsophile vegetation patterns under a range of soil properties induced by topographical position. Plant Ecol 189:301–311Rivas-Martínez S, Rivas-Sáenz S (2009) Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System. Phytosociological Research Center, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/ . Accessed 15 Nov 2012Romão RL, Escudero A (2005) Gypsum physical soil crusts and the existence of gypsophytes in semi-arid central Spain. Plant Ecol 181:127–137Rubio A, Escudero A (2000) Small-scale spatial soil-plant relationship in semi-arid gypsum environment. Plant Soil 220:139–150Ruíz JM, López-Cantarero I, Rivero RM, Romero L (2003) Sulphur phytoaccumulation in plant species characteristic of gypsiferous soils. Int J Phytorem 5:203–210Szabados L, Savouré A (2010) Proline: a multifunctional amino acid. Trends Plant Sci 15:89–97Szabados L, Kovács H, Zilberstein A, Bouchereau A (2011) Plants in extreme environments: importance of protective compounds in stress tolerance. Adv Bot Res 57:105–150Tecator Application Note (1984) AN 5226: Determination of ammonium in 2 M KCl soil extracts by FIAstar 5000. AN 5201: Determination of the sum of nitrate and nitrite in water by FIAstar 5000. (Adapted for 2 M KCl soil extracts)Tipirdamaz R, Gagneul D, Duhazé C, Aïnouche A, Monnier C, Özkum D, Larher F (2006) Clustering of halophytes from an inland salt marsh in Turkey according to their ability to accumulate sodium and nitrogenous osmolytes. Environ Exp Bot 57:139–153Verheye WH, Boyadgiev TG (1997) Evaluating the land use potential of gypsiferous soils from field pedogenic characteristics. Soil Use Manage 13:97–103Vicente O, Boscaiu M, Naranjo MA, Estrelles E, Bellés JM, Soriano P (2004) Responses to salt stress in the halophyte Plantago crassifolia (Plantaginaceae). J Arid Environ 58:463–481Yancey PH (2005) Organic osmolytes as compatible, metabolic and counteracting cytoprotectants in high osmolarity and other stresses. J Exp Biol 208:2819–283

El Aprendizaje Servicio en los grados de ingeniería: abriendo el entorno a la Universidad

El presente trabajo pretende mostrar cómo el Aprendizaje Servicio (APS) es una herramienta que permite trabajar la competencia de compromiso social en el marco de los estudios de Grado en Ingeniería. Además, se reflexiona sobre la posibilidad de implementar este tipo de actividades en asignaturas de grado. Para ello, presentamos dos proyectos que se han liderado desde la Universitat Jaume I (UJI) de Castellón durante el presente curso y se analiza la viabilidad de los mismos, así como los resultados obtenidos. El primero de los proyectos, es una experiencia de APS que se trabaja junto con la metodología del Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos (ABP). En esta iniciativa se implican diferentes asignaturas del ámbito de la ciencia de los materiales de tres universidades públicas españolas y tres grados distintos. El segundo proyecto es una experiencia llevada a cabo por estudiantado de tres grados de Ingeniería diferentes pero de una misma facultad durante su Trabajo Fin de Grado, en el marco de un Proyecto de Cooperación Universitaria al Desarrollo entre la UJI y la Bahir Dar University en la región de Amhara, Etiopía. Los resultados muestran la gran satisfacción de todos los implicados en estas experiencias

Litterfall, litter decomposition and associated nutrient fluxes in Pinus halepensis: influence of tree removal intensity in a Mediterranean forest

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10342-015-0893-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users[EN] Our knowledge about the influence of silvicultural treatments on nutrient cycling processes in Mediterranean forests is still limited. Four levels of tree removal were compared in an Aleppo pine forest in eastern Spain to determine the effects on litterfall, litter decomposition and the associated nutrient fluxes after 12 years. Removal treatments included clearfelling, two shelterwood intensities (60 and 75 % of basal area removed) and untreated controls. Twelve years later, the basal area removed still explained 60 % of litterfall mass variance and 60 % of C, 52 % of N, 45 % of P, 17 % of K, 47 % of Ca and 60 % of Mg return variances. Litter decomposed somewhat more slowly in clearfellings compared to controls (p = 0.049), accumulated more Ca and released less K compared to the other three treatments. This was explained by contamination with mineral particles due to the poorly developed O horizon in clearfellings. We conclude that the management practices reduced the nutrient return via litterfall, but the nutrient release through decomposition seems poorly sensitive to canopy disturbance. In order to accurately quantify the harvesting impacts on nutrient cycling in this Mediterranean forest system, it is necessary to measure the litterfall of the understory layer.This work has been supported by a fellowship from the Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria de Educacion, Formacion y Empleo awarded to L. Lado-Monserrat (BFPI/2008/041). Silvicultural treatments were carried out by the Mediterranean Centre for Environmental Studies (CEAM) through programme "I + D en relacion con la restauracion de la cubierta vegetal y otros aspectos de investigacion forestal". Dataloggers and probes were provided by the Generalitat Valenciana through Project "Efecto de diferentes sistemas de aclareo de masa forestal sobre la disponibilidad de agua, nutrientes y la regeneracion de la masa arborea y arbustiva en parcelas de pinar" (GV06/126). We acknowledge Joana Oliver, Ruth M. Tavera and Daniel Fortanet for their help in the laboratory and in the field. The authors wish to thank Francisco Galiana for his assistance, including help in fieldwork and providing information about the experimental design of the silvicultural treatments. Thanks also go to Rafael Herrera from the Centro de Ecologia, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Caracas, Venezuela and two anonymous reviewers for critically reviewing the manuscript.Lado Monserrat, L.; Lidón, A.; Bautista, I. (2015). Litterfall, litter decomposition and associated nutrient fluxes in Pinus halepensis: influence of tree removal intensity in a Mediterranean forest. European Journal of Forest Research. 134(5):833-844. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-015-0893-zS8338441345Almagro M, Martínez-Mena M (2012) Exploring short-term leaf-litter decomposition dynamics in a Mediterranean ecosystem: dependence on litter type and site conditions. Plant Soil 358:323–335Alvarez A, Gracia M, Vayreda J, Retana J (2012) Patterns of fuel types and crown fire potential in Pinus halepensis forests in the Western Mediterranean Basin. For Ecol Manage 270:282–290Austin AT, Vivanco L (2006) Plant litter decomposition in a semi-arid ecosystem controlled by photodegradation. Nature 442:555–558Bates JD, Svejcar TS, Miller RF (2007) Litter decomposition in cut and uncut western juniper woodlands. J Arid Environ 70:222–236Binkley D (2008) Three key points in the design of forest experiments. For Ecol Manage 255:2022–2023Blair JM, Crossley DA Jr (1988) Litter decomposition, nitrogen dynamics and litter microarthropods in a southern Appalachian hardwood forest 8 years following clearcutting. J Appl Ecol 25:683–698Blanco JA, Zavala MA, Imbert JB, Castillo FJ (2005) Sustainability of forest management practices: evaluation through a simulation model of nutrient cycling. For Ecol Manage 213:209–228Blanco JA, Imbert JB, Castillo FJ (2006) Influence of site characteristics and thinning intensity on litterfall production in two Pinus sylvestris L. forests in the western Pyrenees. For Ecol Manage 237:342–352Blanco JA, Imbert JB, Castillo FJ (2008) Nutrient return via litterfall in two contrasting Pinus sylvestris forests in the Pyrenees under different thinning intensities. For Ecol Manage 256:1840–1852Blanco JA, Imbert JB, Castillo FJ (2011) Thinning affects Pinus sylvestris needle decomposition rates and chemistry differently depending on site conditions. Biogeochemistry 106:397–414Caldentey J, Ibarra M, Hernández J (2001) Litter fluxes and decomposition in Nothofagus pumilio stands in the region of Magallanes, Chile. For Ecol Manage 148:145–157Christensen JH, Krishna Kumar K, et al. (2013) Climate phenomena and their relevance for future regional climate change. In: Stocker TF, Qin D, Plattner G-K et al (Eds.) Climate change 2013: the physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USACortina J, Vallejo VR (1994) Effects of clearfelling on forest floor accumulation and litter decomposition in a radiata pine plantation. For Ecol Manage 70:299–310Entry JA, Rose CL, Cromack K Jr (1991) Litter decomposition and nutrient release in ectomycorrhizal mat soils of a Douglas fir ecosystem. Soil Biol Biochem 23:285–290Fabbio G, Merlo M, Tosi V (2003) Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in Europe—the Mediterranean region. J Environ Manage 67:67–76Galiana F, Pérez-Badía R, Camarero E, Estruch V, Currás R (2001) Estimación de la Radiación solar incidente en pinares de Pinus halepensis sometidos a tratamientos selvícolas de cortas finales. In: Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Medio Ambiente (Ed.) Actas del III Congreso Forestal Español. Junta de Andalucía. Granada (Original in Spanish)García-Plé C, Vanrell P, Morey M (1995) Litter fall and decomposition in a Pinus halepensis forest on Mallorca. J Veg Sci 6:17–22González Utrillas N, González Pérez E, Galiana F (2005) Variación del crecimiento diametral de la masa de pinar de carrasco en cortas finales experimentales, en los montes de Tuejar y Chelva (Valencia). IV Congreso Forestal Español. Zaragoza. Soc. Esp. Cien. For. (Original in Spanish)Guo LB, Sims REH (1999) Litter decomposition and nutrient release via litter decomposition in New Zealand eucalypt short rotation forests. Agric Ecosyst Environ 75:133–140GVA (1995) Mapa de Suelos de la Comunidad Valenciana. Chelva (666). Proyecto LUCDEME (Icona), Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación y Conselleria d’Agricultura i Mig Ambient. Generalitat Valenciana. Valencia, Spain. (Original in Spanish)Hennessey TC, Dougherty PM, Cregg BM, Wittwer RF (1992) Annual variation in needle fall of a loblolly pine stand in relation to climate and stand density. For Ecol Manage 51:329–338Inagaki Y, Kuramoto S, Torii A, Shinomiya Y, Fukata H (2008) Effects of thinning on leaf-fall and leaf-litter nitrogen concentration in hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) plantation stands in Japan. For Ecol Manage 255:1859–1867Jonard M, Misson L, Ponette Q (2006) Long-term thinning effects on the forest floor and the foliar nutrient status of Norway spruce stands in the Belgian Ardennes. Can J For Res 36:2684–2695Kim C, Sharik TL, Jurgensen MF (1996a) Canopy cover effects on mass loss, and nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics from decomposing litter in oak and pine stands in northern Lower Michigan. For Ecol Manage 80:13–20Kim C, Sharik TL, Jurgensen MF (1996b) Litterfall, nitrogen and phosphorus inputs at various levels of canopy removal in oak and pine stands in northern lower Michigan. Am Midl Nat 135:195–204Kim C, Son Y, Lee WK, Jeong J, Noh NJ, Kim SR, Yang AR, Ju NG (2012) Influence of forest tending (Soopkakkugi) works on litterfall and nutrient inputs in a Pinus densiflora stand. For Sci Technol 8:83–88Kimmins JP (2004) Forest ecology, a foundation for sustainable management and environmental ethics in forestry. Prentice-Hall, New JerseyKimmins JP, Mailly D, Seely B (1999) Modelling forest ecosystem net primary production: the hybrid simulation approach used in FORECAST. Ecol Modell 122:195–224Klemmedson JO, Meier CE, Campbell RE (1990) Litter fall transfers of dry matter and nutrients in ponderosa pine stands. Can J For Res 20:1105–1115Kunhamu TK, Kumar BM, Viswanath S (2009) Does thinning affect litterfall, litter decomposition, and associated nutrient release in Acacia mangium stands of Kerala in peninsular India? Can J For Res 39:792–801Lytle DE, Cronan CS (1998) Comparative soil CO2 evolution, litter decay, and root dynamics in clearcut and uncut spruce–fir forest. For Ecol Manage 103:121–128Molina AJ, Del Campo AD (2012) The effects of experimental thinning on throughfall and stemflow: a contribution towards hydrology-oriented silviculture in Aleppo pine plantations. For Ecol Manage 269:206–213Navarro FB, Romero-Freire A, Del Castillo T, Foronda A, Jiménez MN, Ripoll MA, Sánchez-Miranda A, Hutsinger L, Fernández-Ondoño E (2013) Effects of thinning on litterfall were found after years in a Pinus halepensis afforestation area at tree and stand levels. For Ecol Manage 289:354–362Olson JS (1963) Energy storage and the balance of producers and decomposers in ecological systems. Ecology 44:322–331Pérez Cueva AJ (1994) Atlas Climático de la Comunidad Valenciana. Colección Territori nº 4. Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria d’Obres Publiques, Urbanisme i Transport, ValenciaPetritsch R, Hasenauer H, Pietsch SA (2007) Incorporating forest growth response to thinning within biome-BGC. For Ecol Manage 242:324–336Prescott CE (1997) Effects of clearcutting and alternative silvicultural systems on rates of decomposition and nitrogen mineralization in a coastal montane coniferous forest. For Ecol Manage 95:253–260Prescott CE (2002) The influence of the forest canopy on nutrient cycling. Tree Physiol 22:1193–1200Prescott CE, Blevins LL, Staley CL (2000) Effects of clear-cutting on decomposition rates of litter and forest floor in forests of British Columbia. Can J For Res 30:1751–1757Roig S, Del Río M, Cañellas I, Montero G (2005) Litter fall in Mediterranean Pinus pinaster Ait. stands under different thinning regimes. For Ecol Manage 206:179–190Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Rodà F (2005) Changes in nutrient use efficiency, status and retranslocation in young post-fire regeneration Pinus halepensis in response to sudden N and P input, irrigation and removal of competing vegetation. Trees 19:233–250Scarascia-Mugnozza G, Oswald H, Piussi P, Radoglou K (2000) Forests of the Mediterranean region: gaps in knowledge and research needs. For Ecol Manage 132:97–109Slovik S (1997) Tree physiology. In: Hüttl RF, Schaaf W (eds) Magnesium deficiency in forest ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, London, pp 101–214Taylor BR, Parkinson D (1988) Does repeated freezing and thawing accelerate decay of leaf litter? Soil Biol Biochem 20:657–665Torras O, Saura S (2008) Effects of silvicultural treatments on forest biodiversity indicators in the Mediterranean. For Ecol Manage 255:3322–3330Trofymow JA, Barclay HJ, McCullough KM (1991) Annual rates and elemental concentrations of litter fall in thinned and fertilized Douglas-fir. Can J For Res 21:1601–1615Wallace ES, Freedman B (1986) Forest floor dynamics in a chronosequence of hardwood stands in central Nova Scotia. Can J For Res 16:293–302Whitford WG, Meentemeyer V, Seastedt TR, Cromack Jr K, Crossley Jr DA, Santos P, Todd RL, Waide JB (1981) Exceptions to the AET model: deserts and clear-cut forest. Ecology 62:275–277Yin X, Perry JA, Dixon RK (1989) Influence of canopy removal on oak forest floor decomposition. Can J For Res 19:204–21

Is salinity the main ecologic factor that shapes the distribution of two endemic Mediterranean plant species of the genus Gypsophila?

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2218-2Aims Responses to salt stress of two Gypsophila species that share territory, but with different ecological optima and distribution ranges, were analysed. G. struthium is a regionally dominant Iberian endemic gypsophyte, whereas G. tomentosa is a narrow endemic reported as halophyte. Theworking hypothesis is that salt tolerance shapes the presence of these species in their specific habitats. Methods Taking a multidisciplinary approach, we assessed the soil characteristics and vegetation structure at the sampling site, seed germination and seedling development, growth and flowering, synthesis of proline and cation accumulation under artificial conditions of increasing salt stress and effect of PEG on germination and seedling development. Results Soil salinity was low at the all sampling points where the two species grow, but moisture was higher in the area of G. tomentosa. Differences were found in the species salt and drought tolerance. The different parameters tested did not show a clear pattern indicating the main role of salt tolerance in plant distribution. Conclusions G. tomentosa cannot be considered a true halophyte as previously reported because it is unable to complete its life cycle under salinity. The presence of G. tomentosa in habitats bordering salt marshes is a strategy to avoid plant competition and extreme water stressSoriano, P.; Moruno Manchón, JF.; Boscaiu Neagu, MT.; Vicente Meana, Ó.; Hurtado, A.; Llinares Palacios, JV.; Estrelles, E. (2014). Is salinity the main ecologic factor that shapes the distribution of two endemic Mediterranean plant species of the genus Gypsophila?. Plant and Soil. 384(1-2):363-379. doi:10.1007/s11104-014-2218-2S3633793841-2Alonso MA (1996) Flora y vegetación del Valle de Villena (Alicante). Instituto de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert, AlicanteAlvarado JJ, Ruiz JM, López-Cantarero I, Molero J, Romero L (2000) Nitrogen metabolism in five plant species characteristic of gypsiferous soils. Plant Physiol 156:612–616Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216Ashraf MY (2009) Salt tolerance mechanisms in some halophytes from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Res J Agric Biol Sci 5:191–206Bates LS, Waldren RP, Tear LD (1973) Rapid determination of free proline for water-stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–207Ben-Gal A, Neori-Borochov H, Yermiyahu U, Shani U (2009) Is osmotic potential a more appropriate property than electrical conductivity for evaluating whole plant response to salinity? Environ Exp Bot 65:232–237Biondi E (2011) Phytosociology today: Methodological and conceptual evolution. Plant Biosyst 145:19–29Boscaiu M, Bautista I, Lidón A, Llinares J, Lull C, Donat P, Mayoral O, Vicente O (2013a) Environmental-dependent proline accumulation in plants living on gypsum soils. Acta Physiol Plant 35:2193–2204Boscaiu M, Llul C, Llinares J, Vicente O, Boira H (2013b) Proline as a biochemical marker in relation to the ecology of two halophytic Juncus species. J Plant Ecol 6:177–186Bradford KJ (1990) A water relations analysis of seed germination rates. Plant Physiol 94:840–849Breckle SW (1999) Halophytic and gypsophytic vegetation of the Ebro-Basin at Los Monegros. In: Melic A, Blasco-Zumeta J (eds) Manifiesto científico por Los Monegros, vol 24, Bol. SEA., pp 101–104Brenchley JL, Probert RJ (1998) Seed germination responses to some environmental factors in the sea grass Zoostera capricorni from eastern Australia. Aquat Bot 62:177–188Cañadas EM, Ballesteros M, Valle F, Lorite J (2013) Does gypsum influence seed germination? Turk J Bot 38:141–147Chen Z, Cuin TA, Zhou M et al (2007) Compatible solute accumulation and stress-mitigating effects in barley genotypes contrasting in their salt tolerance. J Exp Bot 58:4245–4255Chutipaijit S, Cha-Um S, Sompornailin K (2009) Differential accumulation of proline and flavonoids in Indica rice varieties against salinity. Pak J Bot 41:2497–2506Cushman JC (2001) Osmoregulation in plants: implications for agriculture. Am Zool 41:758–769Debussche M, Thompson JD (2003) Habitat differentiation between two closely related Mediterranean plant species, the endemic Cyclamen balearicum and the widespread C. repandum. Acta Oecol 24:35–45Eskandari H, Kazemi K (2011) Germination and seedling properties of different wheat cultivars under salinity conditions. Not Sci Biol 3:130–134FAO (2006) Guidelines for soil descriptions, 5th edn. Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nation, RomeFerrandis P, Herranz JM, Copete MA (2005) Caracterización florística y edáfica de las estepas yesosas de Castilla-La Mancha. Invest Agrar Sist Recur For 14:195–216Flowers TJ, Hall JL (1978) Salt tolerance in Suaeda maritima (L.) Dum. The effect of sodium chloride on growth and soluble enzymes in a comparative study with Pisum sativum L. J Exp Bot 23:310–321Flowers TJ, Colmer TD (2008) Salinity tolerance in halophytes. New Phytol 179:945–963Flowers TJ, Hajibagheri MA, Clipson NJW (1986) Halophytes. Q Rev Biol 61:313–335García-Fuentes A, Salazar C, Torres JA, Cano E, Valle F (2001) Review of communities of Lygeum spartum L. in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula (western Mediterranean). J Arid Environ 48:323–339Géhu JM (2006) Dictionnaire de Sociologie et Synécologie Végétales. J. Cramer, Berlin-Stuttgart, p 899Géhu JM (2011) On the opportunity to celebrate the centenary of modern phytosociology in 2010. Plant Biosyst 145(suppl):4–8Ghassemi F, Jakeman AJ, Nix HA (1995) Salinisation of land and water resources: human causes, extent, management and case studies. Canberra, Australia. CAB International, The Australian National University, WallingfordGrigore MN, Boscaiu M, Vicente O (2011) Assessment of the relevance of osmolyte biosynthesis for salt tolerance of halophytes under natural conditions. Eur J Plant Sci Biotech 5:12–19Grigore MN, Villanueva M, Boscaiu M, Vicente O (2012a) Do halophytes really require salts for their growth and development? An experimental approach mitigation of salt stress-induced inhibition of Plantago crassifolia reproductive development by supplemental calcium or magnesium. Not Sci Biol 4:23–29Grigore MN, Boscaiu M, Llinares J, Vicente O (2012b) Mitigation of salt stressed-induced Inhibition of Plantago crassifolia reproductive development by supplemental calcium or magnesium. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 40:58–66Hare PD, Cress WA (1997) Metabolic implications of stress-induced proline accumulation in plants. Plant Growth Regul 21:79–102Ishikawa SI, Kachi N (2000) Differential salt tolerance of two Artemisia species growing in contrasting coastal habitats. Ecol Res 15:241–247Kebreab E, Murdoch AJ (1999) Modelling the effects of water stress and temperature on germination rate of Orobanche aegyptiaca seeds. J Exp Bot 50:655–664Khan MA (2002) Halophyte seed germination: Success and Pitfalls. In: Hegazi AM, El-Shaer HM, El-Demerdashe S et al (eds) International symposium on optimum resource utilization in salt affected ecosystems in arid and semi arid regions. Desert Research Centre, Cairo, pp 346–358Khan MA, Gul B, Weber DJ (2000) Germination responses of Salicornia rubra to temperature and salinity. J Arid Environ 45:207–214Khan A, Rayner GD (2003) Robustness to non-normality of common tests for the many-sample location problem. J Appl Math Decis Sci 7:187–206Lidón A, Boscaiu M, Collado F, Vicente O (2009) Soil requirements of three salt tolerant, endemic species from south-east Spain. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 37:64–70López González G (1990) Gypsohila L. In: Castroviejo S, Laínz M, López G et al (eds) Flora Ibérica 2. Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid, pp 408–415Lutts S, Kinet JM, Bouharmont J (1996) Effects of salt stress on growth, mineral nutrition and proline accumulation in relation to osmotic adjustment in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars differing in salinity resistance. Plant Growth Regul 19:207–218Madidi S, Baroudi B, Ameur FB (2004) Effects of salinity on germination and early growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars. Int J Agric Biol 6:767–770Marchal FM, Lendínez ML, Salazar C, Torres JA (2008) Aportaciones al conocimiento de la vegetación gispsícola en el occidente de la provincia de Granada (sur de España). Lazaroa 29:95–100Médail F, Verlaque R (1997) Ecological characteristics and rarity of endemic plants from southern France and Corsica: implications for biodiversity conservation. Biol Conserv 80:269–281Meyer SE (1986) The ecology of gypsophile endemism in the Eastern Mojave desert. Ecology 67:1303–1313Moruno F, Soriano P, Oscar V, Boscaiu M, Estrelles E (2011) Opportunistic germination behaviour of Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae) in two priority habitats from semi-arid Mediterranean steppes. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 9:18–23Mota JF, Sánchez Gómez P, Merlo Calvente ME, Catalán Rodríguez P, Laguna Lumbreras E, de la Cruz RM, Navarro Reyes FB, Marchal Gallardo F, Bartolomé Esteban C, Martínez Labarga JM, Sainz Ollero H, Valle Tendero F, Serra Laliga L, Martínez Hernández F, Garrido Becerra JA, Pérez García FJ (2009) Aproximación a la checklist de los gipsófitos ibéricos. An Biol 31:71–80Mota JF, Sola AJ, Jiménez-Sánchez ML, Pérez-García F, Merlo ME (2004) Gypsicolous flora, conservation and restoration of quarries in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Biodivers Conserv 13:1797–1808Munns R (2002) Comparative physiology of salt and water stress. Plant Cell Environ 25:239–250Palacio S, Escudero A, Montserrat-Martí G, Maestro M, Milla R, Albert M (2007) Plants living on gypsum: beyond the specialist model. Ann Bot 99:333–343Peinado M, Martínez-Parras JM (1982) Sobre la posición fitosociológica de Gypsophila tomentosa L. Lazaroa 4:129–140Pueyo Y, Alados CL, Maestro M, Komac B (2007) Gypsophile vegetation patterns under a range of soil properties induced by topographical position. Plant Ecol 189:301–311Rasband WS (1997–2012) ImageJ. U S National Institutes of Health. http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/ , Bethesda, MarylandRivas-Martínez S (2005) Notions on dynamic-catenal phytosociology as a basis of landscape science. Plant Biosyst 139:135–144Rivas-Martínez S, Rivas-Saenz S (1996–2009) Worldwide bioclimatic classification system, Phytosociological Research Center, Spain. http://www.globalbioclimatics.org . Accessed 1 July 2013Rivas-Martínez S, Fernández-González F, Loidi J, Lousã M, Penas A (2001) Syntaxonomical checklist of vascular plant communities of Spain and Portugal to association level. Itinera Geobot 14:5–341Salmerón-Sánchez E, Martínez-Nieto MI, Martínez-Hernández F, Garrido-Becerra JA, Mendoza-Fernández AJ, Gil de Carrasco C, Ramos-Miras JJ, Lozano R, Merlo ME, Mota JF (2014) Ecology, genetic diversity and phylogeography of the Iberian endemic plant Jurinea pinnata (Lag.) DC. (Compositae) on two special edaphic substrates: dolomite and gypsum. Plant Soil 374:233–250Saradhi P, Alia P, Arora S, Prasad KV (1995) Proline accumulates in plants exposed to UV radiation and protects them against UV induced peroxidation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 209:1–5Sekmen AH, Turkan I, Tanyolac ZO, Ozfidan C, Dinc A (2012) Different antioxidant defense responses to salt stress during germination and vegetative stages of endemic halophyte Gypsophila oblanceolata Bark. Environ Exp Bot 77:63–76Tipirdamaz R, Gagneul D, Duhaze C, Ainouche A, Monnier C, Ozkum D, Larher F (2006) Clustering of halophytes from an inland salt marsh in Turkey according to their ability to accumulate sodium and nitrogenous osmolytes. Environ Exp Bot 57:139–153Ungar IA (1996) Effect of salinity on seed germination, growth, and ion accumulation of Atriplex patula (Chenopodiaceae). Am J Bot 83:604–607USDA-ARS (2008) Research databases. Bibliography on salt tolerance. George E. Brown, Jr. Salinity Lab. US Dep. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv. Riverside, CA. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=8908USSL Staff (1954) Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. US Department of Agriculture Handbook no. 60, 160 ppVicente O, Boscaiu M, Naranjo M, Estrelles E, Bellés JM, Soriano P (2004) Responses to salt stress in the halophyte Plantago crassifolia (Plantaginaceae). J Arid Environ 58:463–48

Environmentally induced changes in antioxidant phenolic compounds levels in wild plants

[EN] Different adverse environmental conditions cause oxidative stress in plants by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Accordingly, a general response to abiotic stress is the activation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Many phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, are known antioxidants and efficient ROS scavengers in vitro, but their exact role in plant stress responses in nature is still under debate. The aim of our work is to investigate this role by correlating the degree of environmental stress with phenolic and flavonoid levels in stress-tolerant plants. Total phenolic and antioxidant flavonoid contents were determined in 19 wild species. Meteorological data and plant and soil samples were collected in three successive seasons from four Mediterranean ecosystems: salt marsh, dune, semiarid and gypsum habitats. Changes in phenolic and flavonoid levels were correlated with the environmental conditions of the plants and were found to depend on both the taxonomy and ecology of the investigated species. Despite species-specific differences, principal component analyses of the results established a positive correlation between plant phenolics and several environmental parameters, such as altitude, and those related to water stress: temperature, evapotranspiration, and soil water deficit. The correlation with salt stress was, however, very weak. The joint analysis of all the species showed the lowest phenolic and flavonoid levels in the halophytes from the salt marsh. This finding supports previous data indicating that the halophytes analysed here do not undergo oxidative stress in their natural habitat and therefore do not need to activate antioxidant systems as a defence against salinity.This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CGL2008-00438/BOS), with contribution from the European Regional Development Fund. Thanks to Dr. Rafael Herrera for critical reading of the manuscript.Bautista, I.; Boscaiu, M.; Lidón, A.; Llinares Palacios, JV.; Lull, C.; Donat-Torres, MP.; Mayoral García-Berlanga, O.... (2016). Environmentally induced changes in antioxidant phenolic compounds levels in wild plants. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. 38(1):1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-015-2025-2S115381Agati G, Biricolti S, Guidi L, Ferrini F, Fini A, Tattini M (2011) The biosynthesis of flavonoids is enhanced similarly by UV radiation and root zone salinity in L. vulgare leaves. J Plant Physiol 168:204–212Agati G, Brunetti C, Di Ferdinando M, Ferrini F, Pollastri S, Tattini M (2013) Functional roles of flavonoids in photoprotection: new evidence, lessons from the past. Plant Physiol Biochem 72:35–45Albert A, Sareedenchai V, Heller W, Seidlitz HK, Zidorn C (2009) Temperature is the key to altitudinal variation of phenolics in Arnica montana L. cv. ARBO. Oecologia 160:1–8Appel K, Hirt H (2004) Reactive oxygen species: metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. Annu Rev Plant Biol 55:373–399Bachereau F, Marigo G, Asta J (1998) Effect of solar radiation (UV and visible) at high altitude on CAM-cycling and phenolic compounds biosynthesis in Sedum album. Physiol Plant 104:203–210Ballizany WL, Hofmann RV, Jahufer MZZ, Barrett BB (2012) Multivariate associations of flavonoid and biomass accumulation in white clover (Trifolium repens) under drought. Funct Plant Biol 39:167–177Bieza K, Lois R (2001) An Arabidopsis mutant tolerant to lethal ultraviolet-B levels shows constitutively elevated accumulation of flavonoids and other phenolics. Plant Physiol 126:1105–1115Bilger W, Rolland M, Nybakken L (2007) UV screening in higher plants induced by low temperature in the absence of UV-B radiation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 6:190–195Blumthaler M, Ambach M, Ellinger R (1997) Increase in solar UV radiation with altitude. J Photochem Photobiol B 39:130–134Boscaiu M, Lull C, Llinares J, Vicente O, Boira H (2013) Proline as a biochemical marker in relation to the ecology of two halophytic Juncus species. J Plant Ecol 6:177–186Bose J, Rodrigo-Moreno A, Shabala S (2013) ROS homeostasis in halophytes in the context of salinity stress tolerance. J Exp Bot 65:1241–1257Brown DE, Rashotte AM, Murphy AS, Normanly J, Tague BW, Peer WA, Taiz L, Muday GK (2001) Flavonoids act as a negative regulators of auxin transport in vivo in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 126:524–535Burchard P, Bilger W, Weissenböck G (2000) Contribution of hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids to epidermal shielding of UV-A and UV-B radiation in developing rye primary leaves as assessed by ultraviolet-induced chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Plant Cell Environ 23:1373–1380Burriel F, Hernando V (1947) Nuevo método para determinar el fósforo asimilable en los suelos. Anales de Edafología Fisiología Vegetal 9:611–622Cheynier V, Comte G, Davies KM, Lattanzio V, Martens S (2013) Plant phenolics: recent advances on their biosynthesis, genetics, and ecophysiology. Plant Physiol Biochem 72:1–20Coman C, Rugina OD, Socaciu C (2012) Plants and natural compounds with antidiabetic action. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 40:314–325Di Ferdinando M, Brunetti C, Fini A, Tattini M (2012) Flavonoids as antioxidants in plants under abiotic stresses. In: Ahmad P, Prasad MNV (eds) Abiotic stress responses in plants: metabolism, productivity and sustainability. Springer, New York, pp 159–179Di Ferdinando M, Brunetti C, Agati G, Tattini M (2014) Multiple functions of polyphenols in plants inhabiting unfavourable Mediterranean areas. Environ Exper Bot 103:107–116FAO (1990) Management of gypsiferous soils. FAO Soils Bull, p 62Fini A, Brunetti C, Di Ferdinando M, Ferrini F, Tattini M (2011) Stress-induced flavonoid biosynthesis and the antioxidant machinery of plants. Plant Signal Behav 6:709–711Gil R, Lull C, Boscaiu M, Bautista I, Lidón A, Vicente O (2011) Soluble carbohydrates as osmolytes in several halophytes from a Mediterranean salt marsh. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 39:9–17Gil R, Bautista I, Boscaiu M, Lidón A, Wankhade S, Sánchez H, Llinares J, Vicente O (2014) Responses of five Mediterranean halophytes to seasonal changes in environmental conditions. AoB Plants 6: plu049Gould KS, Lister C (2006) Flavonoid function in plants. In: Andersen ØM, Marham KR (eds) Flavonoids, chemistry, biochemistry and application. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 397–442Hajimahmoodi M, Moghaddam G, Ranjbar AM, Khazani H, Sadeghi N, Oveisi MR, Jannat B (2013) Total phenolic, flavonoids, tannin content and antioxidant power of some Iranian pomegranate flower cultivars (Punica granatum L.). Am J Plant Sci 4:1815–1820Halliwell B (2006) Reactive species and antioxidants. Redox biology is a fundamental theme of aerobic life. Plant Physiol 141:312–322Harborne JB, Williams C (2000) Advances in flavonoid research since 1992. Phytochemistry 55:481–504Hernández I, Alegre L, Munné-Bosch S (2004) Drought-induced changes in flavonoids and other low molecular weight antioxidants in Cistus clusii grown under Mediterranean field conditions. Tree Physiol 24:1303–1311Hernández I, Alegre L, Van Breusegem F, Munné-Bosch S (2008) How relevant are flavonoids as antioxidants in plants? Trends Plant Sci 14:125–132Iwashina T (2000) The structure and distribution of the flavonoids in plants. J Plant Res 113:287–299Jaakola L, Määttä-Riihinen K, Kärenlampi S, Hohtola A (2004) Activation of flavonoid biosynthesis by solar radiation in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) leaves. Planta 218:721–728Jenkins GI (2009) Signal transduction in responses to UB-B radiation. Annu Rev Plant Biol 60:407–431Jenkins GI, Long JC, Wade HK, Shenton MR, Bibikova TN (2001) UV and blue light signalling: pathways regulating chalcone synthase gene expression in Arabidopsis. New Phytol 151:121–131Kaulen H, Schell J, Kreuzaler F (1986) Light-induced expression of the chimeric chalcone synthase-NPTII gene in tobacco cells. EMBO J 5:1–8Kim DO, Jeong SW, Lee CY (2003) Antioxidant capacity of phenolic phytochemicals from various cultivars of plums. Food Chem 81:321–326Kirakosyan A, Seymour E, Kaufman PB, Warber S, Bolling S, Chang SC (2003) Antioxidant capacity of polyphenolic extracts from leaves of Crataegus laevigata and Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn) subjected to drought and cold stress. J Agr Food Chem 51:3973–3976Knudssen D, Peterson GA, Pratt PF (1982) Lithium, Sodium and Potassium. In: Page AL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, chemical and microbiological properties. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 225–246Koes RE, Spelt CE, Mol JNM (1989) The chalcone synthase multigene family of Petunia hybrida (V30): differential, light-regulated expression during flower development and UV light induction. Plant Mol Biol 12:213–225Körner C (1999) Alpine plant life. Functional plant ecology of high mountain ecosytems, BerlinKumar S, Pandey AK (2013) Chemistry and biological activities of flavonoids: an overview. Sci World J 2013:1–16Kuo S (1996) Phosphorus. In: Spark D (ed) Methods of soil analysis: chemical methods, part 3. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 869–919Lavola A (1998) Accumulation of flavonoids and related compounds in birch induced by UV-B irradiance. Tree Physiol 18:53–58Li J, Ou-Lee TM, Raba R, Amundson RG, Last RL (1993) Arabidopsis flavonoid mutants are hypersensitive to UV-B radiation. Plant Cell 5:171–179Llinares JV, Bautista I, Donat MP, Lidón A, Lull C, Mayoral O, Wankhade S, Boscaiu M, Vicente O (2015) Responses to environmental stress in plants adapted to Mediterranean gypsum habitats. Not Sci Biol 7:34–44Marinova D, Ribarova F, Atanassova M (2005) Total phenolics and total flavonoids in Bulgarian fruits and vegetables. J Univ Chem Technol Metall 40:255–260Martens H, Naes T (1989) Multivariate calibration. Wiley, New YorkMurai Y, Takemura S, Takeda K, Kitajima K, Iwashina T (2009) Altitudinal variation of UV-absorbing compounds in Plantago asiatica. Biochem Syst Ecol 37:78–384Nakabayashi R, Yonekura-Sakakibara K, Urano K, Suzuki M, Yamada Y, Nishizawa T, Matsuda F, Kojima M, Sakakibara H, Shinozaki K, Michael AJ, Tohge T, Yamazaki M, Saito K (2014) Enhancement of oxidative and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis by overaccumulation of antioxidant flavonoids. Plant J 77:367–379Napoli CA, Fahy D, Wang HY, Taylor LP (1999) white anther: a petunia mutant that abolishes pollen flavonoid accumulation, induces male sterility, and is complemented by a chalcone synthase transgene. Plant Physiol 120:615–622Nechita A, Cotea VV, Nechita CB, Pincu RR, Mihai CT, Colibaba CL (2012) Study of cytostatic and cytotoxic activity of several polyphenolic extracts obtained from Vitis vinifera. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 40:216–221Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1982) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Page AL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis, chemical and microbiological properties. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 539–577Nelson RE, Klameth LC, Nettleton WD (1978) Determining soil gypsum content and expressing properties of gypsiferous soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42:659–661Nile SH, Khobragade CN (2010) Antioxidant activity and flavonoid derivatives of Plumbago zeylanica. J Nat Prod 3:130–133Park HL, Lee SW, Jung KH, Hahn TR, Cho MH (2013) Transcriptomic analysis of UV-treated rice leaves reveals UV-induced phytoalexin biosynthetic pathways and their regulatory networks in rice. Phytochemistry 96:57–71Pękal A, Pyrzynska K (2014) Evaluation of aluminium complexation reaction for flavonoid content assay. Food Anal Method 7:1776–1782Pollastri S, Tattini M (2011) Flavonols: old compounds for old roles. Ann Bot 108:1225–1233Ravishankar D, Rajora AK, Greco F, Osborn HM (2013) Flavonoids as prospective compounds for anti-cancer therapy. Int J Biochem Cell B 45:2821–2831Rice-Evans CA, Miller NJ, Paganga G (1996) Structure-antioxidant activity relationships of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Free Radical Bio Med 20:933–956Rieger G, Müller M, Guttenberger H, Bucar F (2008) Influence of altitudinal variation on the content of phenolic compounds in wild populations of Calluna vulgaris, Sambucus nigra, and Vaccinium myrtillus. J Agric Food Chem 58:9080–9086Rivas-Martínez S, Rivas-Saenz S (1996–2009) Worldwide bioclimatic classification system. Phytosociological Research Center, Spain. http://www.globalbioclimatics.org . Accessed 1 July 2013Rohman A, Riyanto S, Yuniarti N, Saputra WR, Utami R, Mulatsih W (2010) Antioxidant activity, total phenolic, and total flavonoid of extracts and fractions of red fruit (Pandanus conoideus Lam). Int Food Res J 17:97–106Romano B, Pagano E, Montanaro V, Fortunato AL, Milic N, Borrelli F (2013) Novel insights into the pharmacology of flavonoids. Phytother Res 27:1588–1596Rozema J, van de Staaij J, Björn LO, Caldwell MM (1997) UV-B as an environmental factor in plant life: stress and regulation. Trends Ecol Evol 12:22–28Rozema J, Bjorn LO, Bornman JF, Gaberščik A, Häder DP, Trošt T, Germ M, Klisch M, Gröniger A, Sinha RP, Lebert M, He YY, Buffoni-Hall R, de Bakker NVJ, van de Staaij J, Meijkamp BB (2002) The role of UV-B radiation in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems—an experimental and functional analysis of the evolution of UV-absorbing compounds. Photochem Photobiol B Biol 66:2–12Schulze-Lefert P, Dangl JL, Becker-André M, Hahlbrock K, Schulz W (1989) Inducible in vivo DNA footprints define sequences necessary for UV light activation of the parsley chalcone synthase gene. EMBO J 8:651–656Sena MM, Frighetto RTS, Valarini PJ, Tokeshi H, Poppi RJ (2002) Discrimination of management effects on soil parameters by using principal component analysis: a multivariate analysis case study. Soil Till Res 67:171–181Shulaev V, Oliver DJ (2006) Metabolic and proteomic markers for oxidative stress. New tools for reactive oxygen species research. Plant Physiol 141:367–372Singleton VL, Rossi JA Jr (1965) Colorimetry of total phenolics with phosphomolybdic phosphotungstic acid reagents. Am J EnolVitic 16:144–158Spitaler R, Winkler A, Lins I, Yanar S, Stuppner H, Zidorn C (2008) Altitudinal variation of phenolic contents in flowering heads of Arnica montana cv. ARBO: a 3-year comparison. J Chem Ecol 34:369–375Stapleton AE, Walbot V (1994) Flavonoids can protect maize DNA from the induction of UV radiation damage. Plant Physiol 105:881–889Takahashi M, Asada K (1988) Superoxide production in aprotic interior of chloroplast thylakoids. Arch Biochem Biophys 267:714–722Tattini M, Gravano E, Pinelli P, Mulinacci N, Romani A (2000) Flavonoids accumulate in leaves and glandular trichomes of Phillyrea latifolia exposed to excess solar radiation. New Phytol 148:69–77Tattini M, Galardi C, Pinelli P, Massai R, Remorini D, Agati G (2004) Differential accumulation of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamates in leaves of Ligustrum vulgare under excess light and drought stress. New Phytol 163:547–561Treutter D (2005) Significance of flavonoids in plant resistance and enhancement of their biosynthesis. Plant Biol 7:581–591Treutter D (2006) Significance of flavonoids in plant resistance: a review. Environ Chem Lett 4:147–157Van Breusegem F, Dat JF (2006) Reactive oxygen species in plant cell death. Plant Physiol 141:384–390Williams CA, Grayer RJ (2004) Anthocyanins and other flavonoids. Nat Prod Rep 21:539–573Winkel-Shirley B (2002) Biosynthesis of flavonoids and effect of stress. Curr Opin Plant Biol 5:218–223Ylstra B, Touraev A, Benito Moreno RM, Stöger E, van Tunen AA, Vicente O, Mol JNM, Heberle-Bors E (1992) Flavonols stimulate development, germination and tube growth of tobacco pollen. Plant Physiol 100:902–907Zhishen J, Mengcheng T, Jianming W (1999) The determination of flavonoid contents in mulberry and their scavenging effects on superoxide radicals. Food Chem 64:555–559Zidorn C, Schubert B, Stuppner H (2005) Altitudinal differences in the contents of phenolics in flowering heads of three members of the tribe Lactuceae (Asteraceae) occurring as introduced species in New Zealand. Biochem Syst Ecol 33:855–87

Lambs’ live weight estimation using 3D images

The sheep sector has not suffered the technification that other livestock sectors have. The lack of technological knowledge of the farmers and the economic limitations of the sector have made this technification difficult. One of the most widely used technologies is Precision Livestock Farming (PLF). PLF has already been used in other livestock sectors to improve farming efficiency. In the light of the problem that sheep farmers have in weighing lambs and their low precision, this paper proposes a system for estimating weight by means of 3D image capture. Thus, zenithal images of 272 lambs have been recorded. They have been processed using the capture of the upper area and the average depth of the pixels of the lamb. This estimates the weight of the animal with an error of less than 6%. This technology has a low economic cost and is easy to operate, helping farmers to be more willing to use it. This method manages to reduce the duration of the process, the stress of the animal and to improve the overall accuracy in weight estimation. Thus, it will help to have a greater control of the weight of the animal and to improve the economic profitability that the farmer obtains for the lambs