MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Pérdida de biodiversidad: causas y consecuencias para la humanidad

el Libro completo se puede ver en http://www.lincg.uc-csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LINCGlobal-2018-Cambio-Global-en-Iberoamerica-Baja-resolucion.pdfLa biodiversidad se refiere a todas las variaciones de las formas de vida en una determinada región. Se incluyen en el concepto de biodiversidad, además de la diversidad de especies, la diversidad genética, de formas, de atributos funcionales, de interacción entre especies e incluso de ecosistemas en una determinada área. Todas estas medidas de diversidad biológica tienen relación con variados aspectos del funcionamento de los ecosistemas naturales que sostienen la vida en la tierra. El hombre, a través de diversas acciones, viene impactando severamente la biodiversidad del planeta. Aunque es muy difícil de medir con exactitud, todos los científicos coinciden en que la tasa actual de pérdida de especies por la acción humana es tan elevada, que el período actual en que vivimos ya es considerado como de extinción masiva de especies. Entre las principales causas de la pérdida de biodiversidad por la acción humana están la transformación en uso del suelo, el cambio climático, la fragmentación y degradación de los hábitats naturales, los cambios en los ciclos de los elementos en el planeta, la introducción de especies exóticas y la sobreexplotación de especies de valor comercial, especialmente en ambientes marinos. La pérdida de la diversidad, en cualquiera de sus formas, causa múltiples efectos en los ecosistemas, la mayoría de ellos perjudiciales para la humanidad a corto plazo, y todos ellos muy perjudiciales a largo plazo. Ciertamente, dependemos de la biodiversidad para una serie de productos, procesos y servicios ecosistémicos, tales como la provisión de alimentos y la regulación del clima. La existencia de severas crisis de gobernanza, asociadas a la fragilidad económica de diversos países, representan una amenaza adicional a la preservación y manejo de la diversidad en Iberoamérica, una de las regiones más diversas del planetaPeer reviewe

Biomimetic Oxidation of Benzofurans with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Mn(III) Porphyrins

The modelling of metabolic activation of the benzofuran nucleus is important to obtain eco-sustainable degradation methods and to understand the related mechanisms. The present work reports the catalytic oxidation of benzofuran, 2-methylbenzofuran, and 3-methylbenzofuran by hydrogen peroxide, at room temperature, in the presence of different Mn(III) porphyrins as models of cytochrome P450 enzymes. Conversions above 95% were attained for all the substrates. The key step is the formation of epoxides, which undergo different reaction pathways depending on factors, such as the position of the methyl group and the reaction and work-up conditions used

Organic solvents alter photophysiological and oxidative stress profiles of the coral Zoanthus sp. - towards an optimization of ecotoxicological protocols

Coral reefs are declining, affected by climate change and escalating anthropogenic pressures, such as pollution or habitat alteration. Consequently, ecotoxicological assays with tropical corals have increased, specifically towards the study of emergent or persistent pollutants. However, standardized methodology to test for corals is non-existent, and their response to organic solvents, recurrently required in ecotoxicological appraisals, remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to establish a threshold for the safe use of the selected solvents in ecotoxicological studies with these organisms. We assessed the oxidative stress response (antioxidant response and oxidative damage), cellular energy allocation and photophysiology of the photosynthetic coral Zoanthus sp. (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) exposed to six doses of three different organic solvents (ethanol, methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide - DMSO). Our results suggest that the coral is more sensitive to methanol and DMSO than to ethanol. Methanol and DMSO LOEC were 0.01 mL L-1 affecting maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, respectively, while for ethanol was 0.03 mL L-1, influencing Fv/Fm. Despite the higher tolerance of Zoanthus sp. to ethanol, 2.9 mL L-1 of this organic solvent was the only treatment causing mortality. Based on these findings, thresholds for the use of organic solvents with tropical corals can now be adopted. Nevertheless, species specificities should not be overlooked.publishe

Pyrrolidine-fused chlorin photosensitizer immobilized on solid supports for the photoinactivation of Gram negative bacteria

The emergence of resistant microorganism to conventional therapeutics prompted us to search new and better antimicrobial treatment modalities. In this work was envisaged an economically viable and environmental friendly approach to allow successive recovery and removal of the photosensitizer agent after photodynamic treatment. The photodynamic inactivation of bioluminescent Escherichia coli in the presence of an immobilized cationic chlorin photosensitizer and its reusability are described. The chlorin photosensitizer (PS) was immobilized on two commercial materials: a 3-bromopropyl-functionalized silica and a Merrifield resin. The new photosensitising materials were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM and EDX. Their singlet oxygen generation capacities were also assessed. Previous studies showed that there is a direct relationship between the photoinactivation efficiency and the number of positive charges on such PS molecules. Therefore the number of positive charges on the new prepared materials was further increased by treatment of the PS-immobilized materials with 1-methylimidazole and pyridine. The efficiency of photoinactivation against bioluminescent E. coli was evaluated in the presence of the non-immobilized chlorin (20 mu M) as well as in the presence of the new prepared materials positively charged or non-charged on the surface (20-200 mu M) with white light at an irradiance of 4.0 mW cm(-2). Overall, this study shows that the materials resulting from the immobilization of the chlorin on the silica surface and on the Merrifield resin, followed by further treatment with pyridine, have high potential as PS for the inactivation of Gram negative bacteria (3.0 log reductions) and are able to maintain its antimicrobial efficiency after at least 3 repeated cycles of photoinactivation. Their reusability, without loss of effectiveness, confirms a potential inexpensive and friendly application in clinic and environmental areas. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved