2 research outputs found
Algistatic effect of a quinonamethide triterpene on Microcystis novacekii.
Cyanobacteria proliferation represents a problem
to water treatment for human consumption supply. Species
of the genus Microcystis, commonly found in continental
waters, can bloom and produce microcystine and other toxic
compounds associated to human and animal poisoning,
depending on the nutrient levels present in the water. The
use of natural products to control cyanobacteria blooms is
promising since they are less harmful to the environment
than compounds obtained by organic syntheses. Triterpenes,
which are associated with several biological activities, have
been isolated from species of the genus Maytenus
(Celastraceae), commonly found in Cerrado regions of
Brazil. Tingenone is a pentacyclic triterpene that has cytotoxic
properties and induces growth inhibition in some
microorganisms. In this study, the effects of tingenone isolated
from Maytenus gonoclada at distinct concentrations
(e.g., 50, 150, 500, 1,500, and 4,500 μg L−1) on the growth
rates of Microcystis novacekii was investigated. The algicide
activity was verified using M. novacekii cultures growing in
ASM1 culture medium at 23 °C and continuous illumination
for 96 h. Growth inhibition was monitored by light microscopy
and optical density (OD680 nm). The median effective
concentration associated to the M. novacekii inhibition
growth induced by tingenone was 12.2 μg L−1. The result
indicates that tingenone has algicide effect and can be
potentially applied in water management for public supply,
replacing synthetic algicides
Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network
International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora