Restoration of european habitats in mainland, Portugal, using commercial seed mixtures. Considerations for its management and conservation

Permanent mountain pastures include meadows and other perennial pastures of high ecological, economic, cultural and scenic value. Increasing desertification limits the maintenance and conservation of its biodiversity and the associated landscape mosaic. A restoration experiment in permanent high altitude grasslands in Beira Alta (Centre East (CE) mainland Portugal) was made, by sowing adequate cultivars of existing grass and legume species. The main objectives addressed were: (1) comparison of floristic composition between reference communities included in the previous habitats and the improved communities; (2) evaluation of the success of sowing adequate cultivars of autochthonous species; (3) evaluation of the establishment of target species in terms of the maintenance of floristic composition of reference. The experiment was carried out in 2014 on nine farms situated in Beira Alta (Guarda District) and the phytosociological method was applied in the floristic surveys. The sown species with highest percentage of soil cover were Trifolium subterraneum, Lolium multiflorum, Ornithopus sativus and Trifolium vesiculosum. In the priority habitat 6220 it was observed a re-establishment of many species in their original composition and a high cover of several cultivars of Trifolium subterraneum. These results highlight the importance of using cultivars of autochthonous species in the improvement of altitude pasturesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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? 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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. 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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). 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Climate change and outdoor regional living plant collections: an example from mainland Portugal

Original PaperClimate change threatens not only plant species occurring naturally, but also impacts on regional living plant collections, which play an important role in ex situ conservation strategies. In the last few years, several global circulation models have been used to predict different global climate change scenarios. Due to their coarse resolutions, and while more detailed regional approaches are not available, downscaling techniques have been proposed, as a very simple first approach to increase detail. We analysed seven sites on mainland Portugal with potential for species conservation (four botanic gardens and three universities), in the light of downscaled climate change scenarios, using an environmental envelope approach and a predefined bioclimatic neighbourhood for each site. Thresholds for the bioclimatic neighbourhood were based on Rivas-Martı´nez’s Bioclimatic Classification of the Earth. For each site, the expected geographical shift of its original bioclimatic neighbourhood (1950–2000) was mapped for 2020, 2050 and 2080. Analysing those shifts enabled us to delineate knowledge-transfer paths between sites, according to the analysed scenarios. We concluded that, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change A2 scenario, all considered sites will be outside the predefined bioclimatic neighbourhood by 2080, while according to the B2 scenario all of them will be inside that neighbourhood, although sometimes marginally so. Therefore, the implementation of global sustainability measures as considered in the B2 scenario family can be of great importance in order to delay significantly the impacts of climate change, giving extra time for the adaptation of the outdoor regional living plant collectionsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Widespread environmental contamination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex revealed by a molecular detection protocol

Environmental contamination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) has been considered crucial for bovine tuberculosis persistence in multi-host-pathogen systems. However, MTC contamination has been difficult to detect due to methodological issues. In an attempt to overcome this limitation we developed an improved protocol for the detection of MTC DNA. MTC DNA concentration was estimated by the Most Probable Number (MPN) method. Making use of this protocol we showed that MTC contamination is widespread in different types of environmental samples from the Iberian Peninsula, which supports indirect transmission as a contributing mechanism for the maintenance of bovine tuberculosis in this multi-host-pathogen system. The proportion of MTC DNA positive samples was higher in the bovine tuberculosis-infected than in presumed negative area (0.32 and 0.18, respectively). Detection varied with the type of environmental sample and was more frequent in sediment from dams and less frequent in water also from dams (0.22 and 0.05, respectively). The proportion of MTC-positive samples was significantly higher in spring (p<0.001), but MTC DNA concentration per sample was higher in autumn and lower in summer. The average MTC DNA concentration in positive samples was 0.82 MPN/g (CI95 0.70-0.98 MPN/g). We were further able to amplify a DNA sequence specific of Mycobacterium bovis/caprae in 4 environmental samples from the bTB-infected area

Oleic acid variation and marker-assisted detection of Pervenets mutation in high- and low-oleic sunflower cross

High-oleic sunflower oil is in high demand on the market due to its heart-healthy properties and richness in monounsaturated fatty acids that makes it more stable in processing than standard sunflower oil. Consequently, one of sunflower breeder's tasks is to develop stable high-oleic sunflower genotypes that will produce high quality oil. We analyzed variability and inheritance of oleic acid content (OAC) in sunflower, developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, by analyzing F-1 and F-2 progeny obtained by crossing a standard linoleic and high-oleic inbred line. F-2 individuals were classified in two groups: low-oleic with OAC of 15.24-31.28% and high-oleic with OAC of 62.49-93.82%. Monogenic dominant inheritance was observed. Additionally, several molecular markers were tested for the use in marker-assisted selection in order to shorten the period of detecting high-oleic genotypes. Marker F4-R1 was proven to be the most efficient in detection of genotypes with Pervenets (high-oleic acid) mutation

Experimental Evolution of an Oncolytic Vesicular Stomatitis Virus with Increased Selectivity for p53-Deficient Cells

Experimental evolution has been used for various biotechnological applications including protein and microbial cell engineering, but less commonly in the field of oncolytic virotherapy. Here, we sought to adapt a rapidly evolving RNA virus to cells deficient for the tumor suppressor gene p53, a hallmark of cancer cells. To achieve this goal, we established four independent evolution lines of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in p53-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts (p53−/− MEFs) under conditions favoring the action of natural selection. We found that some evolved viruses showed increased fitness and cytotoxicity in p53−/− cells but not in isogenic p53+/+ cells, indicating gene-specific adaptation. However, full-length sequencing revealed no obvious or previously described genetic changes associated with oncolytic activity. Half-maximal effective dose (EC50) assays in mouse p53-positive colon cancer (CT26) and p53-deficient breast cancer (4T1) cells indicated that the evolved viruses were more effective against 4T1 cells than the parental virus or a reference oncolytic VSV (MΔ51), but showed no increased efficacy against CT26 cells. In vivo assays using 4T1 syngeneic tumor models showed that one of the evolved lines significantly delayed tumor growth compared to mice treated with the parental virus or untreated controls, and was able to induce transient tumor suppression. Our results show that RNA viruses can be specifically adapted typical cancer features such as p53 inactivation, and illustrate the usefulness of experimental evolution for oncolytic virotherapy

Plan de Acción en España para la erradicación de la poliomelitis: Vigilancia de la Parálisis Flácida Aguda y Vigilancia de Enterovirus en España. Informe 2020

Centro Nacional de Epidemiología y Centro Nacional de Microbiología. ISCIII. Plan de acción en España para la Erradicación de la Poliomielitis. Vigilancia de la Parálisis Flácida Aguda y Vigilancia de Enterovirus en España, Informe año 2020. Madrid, 5 de noviembre de 2021.[ES] En España la situación libre de polio se monitoriza con la vigilancia de Parálisis Flácida Aguda (PFA) en niños menores de 15 años, como recomienda la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). La vigilancia la realizan los servicios de vigilancia autonómicos y la red de laboratorios de PFA y a nivel nacional se coordina en el Centro Nacional de Epidemiología (CNE, ISCIII) y en el Laboratorio de Poliovirus del Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM, ISCIII). En el año 2020 en España no hubo casos de poliomielitis. Se notificaron 0,17 casos de PFA por 100.000 niños menores de 15 años, por debajo del objetivo de sensibilidad establecido por la OMS de un caso de PFA al año por cada 100.000 menores de 15 años. Solamente se detectaron enterovirus no-polio (EVNP) en las muestras de dos casos (EV-D68 y EV-B, respectivamente). En España también se realiza la vigilancia de EVNP en otros síndromes neurológicos para complementar el sistema de vigilancia de PFA. En las muestras investigadas en 2020 no se identificó ningún poliovirus y los EVNP más frecuentemente identificados fueron E-18, CV-A6 y E-21. Mientras haya circulación de poliovirus en el mundo hay que mantener activos los sistemas de vigilancia para detectar a tiempo cualquier importación de poliovirus. [EN] Spain monitors its polio-free status by conducting surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in children less than 15 years of age, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The AFP surveillance is performed by the 19 Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Units and the AFP Surveillance Laboratory Network, coordinated at national level by the National Centre for Epidemiology (CNE. ISCIII) and the National Poliovirus Laboratory at Nacional Center of Microbiology (CNM. ISCIII) respectively. In 2020, no cases of poliomyelitis were reported from clinical surveillance; Spain reported 0.17 non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 children, below the WHO's performance criterion for a sensitive surveillance system (1 non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 children). The non-polio enteroviruses EV-D68, EV-B were identified from clinical specimens collected from AFP cases. Spain also performs enterovirus surveillance to complement the clinical system In 2020, non poliovirus were identified; The non-polioviruses E-18, CV-A6 y E-21 were the most frequently identified serotypes. As long as poliovirus is circulating in the world, surveillance systems must remain active to detect any importation of poliovirus in a timely manner.1. Resumen. 2. Introducción. 3. Resultados de la vigilancia de Parálisis Flácida Aguda (PFA) en España, 2020. 4. Resultados de la vigilancia de enterovirus, España 2020. 5. Resultados de la vigilancia medioambiental de poliovirus. España, 2020. 6. Sistema de Información Microbiológica (SIM). Meningitis por enterovirus. Tendencia. 7. Conclusiones.N

Annual Epidemiological Report: Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance and Enterovirus Surveillance, Spain, 2019

Centro Nacional de Epidemiología y Centro Nacional de Microbiología. ISCIII. Plan de acción en España para la Erradicación de la Poliomielitis. Vigilancia de la Parálisis Flácida Aguda y Vigilancia de Enterovirus en España, año 2019. Madrid, 1 julio 2020.[ES]Los resultados de la vigilancia de parálisis flácida aguda (PFA) y de la vigilancia de enterovirus (EV) muestran que en España en el año 2019 no hubo casos de poliomielitis ni circulación de poliovirus. La sensibilidad del sistema está por debajo del objetivo establecido por la OMS–Europa de 1 caso de PFA al año por cada 100.000 menores de 15 años, al situarse en 0,55/104 hab (0,58/104 <15años en 2018 ). Sin embargo, su estudio una vez detectados es adecuado. El índice de vigilancia, que sintetiza la sensibilidad del sistema de vigilancia y su estudio en laboratorio, fue de 0,28, similar a otros años. Gracias a la vigilancia de EV se detectó un PV derivado de vacuna (PVDV) en un paciente excretor inmunodeprimido; además se hallaron diferentes EV-no polio, los serotipos identificados fundamentalmente fueron E-7, E-30, E-11, CV-A6 y E-13. En 2019 la OMS declaró la eliminación del PV salvaje tipo 3(PVS3) a nivel mundial, aunque resulta preocupante el aumento en la detección de PVS1 y PVDVc 2 tanto en muestras humanas como medioambientales. La Evaluación de la Comisión Regional de Certificación clasifica a España en 2018 como de riesgo bajo de transmisión de poliovirus. En Europa hay tres países con riesgo alto, debido fundamentalmente a la baja inmunidad de su población. Hay que mantener los sistemas ya establecidos de vigilancia de la circulación de EV -polio y no polio- (vigilancia de PFA, meningitis víricas y EV), de manera que permitan detectar a tiempo la circulación inesperada de un poliovirus o de otro tipo de EV clínicamente relevante. [EN]The results of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and enterovirus (EV) surveillance show that there were no cases of polio or poliovirus circulation in Spain in 2019. The sensitivity of the system is below the target set by WHO-Europe of 1 case of AFP per year per 100,000 children under 15 years, at 0.55/104 inhab (0.58/104 <15 years in 2018 ). However, their study once detected is adequate. The surveillance index, which synthesizes the sensitivity of the surveillance system and its laboratory study, was 0.28, similar to other years. Thanks to the surveillance of EV, a vaccine derived PV (PVDV) was detected in an immunosuppressed excretory patient; in addition, different non-polio-EV were found. The serotypes identified were mainly E-7, E-30, E-11, CV-A6 and E-13. In 2019 the WHO declared the elimination of wild PV type 3 (PVS3) worldwide, although the increase in detection of PVS1 and cVP2 in both human and environmental samples is of concern. The evaluation of the Regional Certification Commission classifies Spain in 2019 as having a low risk of poliovirus transmission. In Europe there are three countries at high risk, mainly due to the low immunity of their population. The already established systems for surveillance of the circulation of EV-polio and non-polio- (surveillance of AFP, viral meningitis and EV) must be maintained, so that the unexpected circulation of a poliovirus or other clinically relevant EV can be detected in time.N

The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of portuguese cropland in the 1950s: the transition from organic to chemical fertilization

Agricultural nutrient balances have been receiving increasing attention in both historical and nutrient management research. The main objectives of this study were to further develop balance methodologies and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the functioning and nutrient cycling of 1950s agroecosystems in Portugal. Additionally, the main implications for the history of agriculture in Portugal were discussed from the standpoint of soil fertility. We used a mass balance approach that comprises virtually all nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inputs and outputs from cropland topsoil for average conditions in the period 1951–56. We found a consistent deficit in N, both for nationwide (−2.1 kg.ha−1.yr−1) and arable crops (−1.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1) estimates, that was rectified in the turn to the 1960 decade. P and K were, in contrast, accumulating in the soil (4.2–4.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1 and 1.0–3.0 kg.ha−1.yr−1, respectively). We observed that the 1950s is the very moment of inflection from an agriculture fertilized predominantly through reused N in biomass (livestock excretions plus marine, plant and human waste sources) to one where chemical fertilizers prevailed. It is suggested that N deficiency played an important role in this transitioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio