Naked mole rat TRF1 safeguards glycolytic capacity and telomere replication under low oxygen.

The naked mole rat (NMR), a long-lived and cancer-resistant rodent, is highly resistant to hypoxia. Here, using robust cellular models wherein the mouse telomeric protein TRF1 is substituted by NMR TRF1 or its mutant forms, we show that TRF1 supports maximal glycolytic capacity under low oxygen, shows increased nuclear localization and association with telomeres, and protects telomeres from replicative stress. We pinpoint this evolutionary gain of metabolic function to specific amino acid changes in the homodimerization domain of this protein. We further find that NMR TRF1 accelerates telomere shortening. These findings reveal an evolutionary strategy to adapt telomere biology for metabolic control under an extreme environment

A Standardized Morpho-Functional Classification of the Planet’s Humipedons

It was time to take stock. We modified the humipedon classification key published in 2018 to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English; we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morphofunctional classification of humipedons (roughly the top 30–40 cm of soil: organic and organomineral surface horizons) would allow for a better understanding of the functioning of the soil ecosystem. This paper provides the founding principles of the classification of humipedon into humus systems and forms. With the recognition of a few diagnostic horizons, all humus systems can be determined. The humus forms that make up these humus systems are revealed by measuring the thicknesses of the diagnostic horizons. In the final part of the article, several figures represent the screenshots of a mobile phone or tablet application that allows for a fast recall of the diagnostic elements of the classification in the field. The article attempts to promote a standardized classification of humipedons for a global and shared management of soil at planet level

A standardized morpho-functional classification of the planet’s humipedons

It was time to take stock. We modified the humipedon classification key published in 2018 to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English; we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morphofunctional classification of humipedons (roughly the top 30–40 cm of soil: organic and organomineral surface horizons) would allow for a better understanding of the functioning of the soil ecosystem. This paper provides the founding principles of the classification of humipedon into humus systems and forms. With the recognition of a few diagnostic horizons, all humus systems can be determined. The humus forms that make up these humus systems are revealed by measuring the thicknesses of the diagnostic horizons. In the final part of the article, several figures represent the screenshots of a mobile phone or tablet application that allows for a fast recall of the diagnostic elements of the classification in the field. The article attempts to promote a standardized classification of humipedons for a global and shared management of soil at planet level

A database of the coseismic effects following the 30 October 2016 Norcia earthquake in Central Italy

We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km 2. The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic processes in active extensional settings, updating probabilistic estimates of slip distribution, and assessing the hazard of surface faulting

Structural damage and recovery determined by the colloidal constituents in two forest soils compacted by heavy traffic

The role of colloidal constituents in soil structure and its resistance to compaction was studied in two acid forest soils of contrasting pH, clay type and texture. The soils were trafficked with an eight‐wheel‐drive forwarder, and undisturbed topsoil samples were taken on trafficked and control plots. Shrinkage analysis was used to assess the soil's physical behaviour, and in addition texture, organic carbon content and exchangeable Al3+ (Alex) and amorphous Al oxide (Aloxa) contents were determined. The effect of each constituent on the soil's physical properties was assessed with covariance analysis. The hydro‐structural stability and coarse pore (> 150 µm radius) and structural pore volumes of control samples were strongly determined by organic carbon and the forms of Al, whereas the plasma porosity was determined by clay content only. Organic carbon and Aloxa increased the structural pore and coarse pore volumes and modified their susceptibility to compaction; organic carbon provided a protecting effect, whereas it was the opposite with Aloxa. We observed contrasting effects of the colloidal constituents and of the behaviour of the pore systems on compaction. The situation is complex and we need to take into account the effects of the colloidal constituents to determine the effects of compaction on the soil's porosity. A simplified approach in which we used the water content at −10 hPa as a covariate predicted soil bulk density as accurately as with all the analytical covariates, and it seems to be an inexpensive way to assess compaction

Intensifying forest management and biomass harvests: consequences for sustainability

L’augmentation de la production forestière pose la question de sa durabilité. Dans le présent document, nous présentons plusieurs modifications de gestion destinées à augmenter la récolte de biomasse et nous en évaluons les impacts possibles sur la fertilité des écosystèmes. Une première approche pour augmenter la productivité consiste à augmenter par divers moyens la récolte de biomasse. Les rémanents (houppiers ; souches ; racines) et de petits bois (d < 7 cm) constituent un gisement de biomasse. Toutefois, leur récolte peut conduire à des pertes très importantes de nutriments, notamment lorsqu’il s’agit de récolte incluant le feuillage et les branches les plus fines. Les raccourcissements des itinéraires peuvent occasionner des perturbations plus fréquentes de l’écosystème, alors que les substitutions d’essences en modifient le fonctionnement. Une seconde approche consiste à soutenir la croissance des arbres en apportant des nutriments. L’utilisation d’engrais de synthèse devenant, de manière tendancielle, toujours plus onéreuse, nous évaluons les avantages et les risques de l’utilisation de produits résiduaires (principalement des cendres de bois ou des boues d’épuration). Ils ont pour principaux avantages de permettre le recyclage et d’être peu chers. Ils peuvent néanmoins provoquer des désordres dans le fonctionnement des écosystèmes et, à fortes doses, des pollutions.There are different ways enabling increased productivity of forests, but some of them could be deleterious to the long-term capability of ecosystems to sustain production of biomass. A first approach to improve forest yield is to increase biomass harvests. The harvest residues (canopies, stumps, roots) and small trees (d < 7 cm) constitute an interesting source of biomass. However, they also represent an important amount of nutrients. Their export, particularly when foliage and the smallest branches are involved, may impoverish the ecosystem. Shortening forest rotations may increase the occurrence of disturbances for the ecosystem, while changing the main tree species may modify its functioning. A second approach to improve forest yield consists in applying nutrients to the soil in order to make the trees growth faster. Because the use of synthetic fertilizers is becoming more and more expensive, we have focussed on the use of waste products (mainly wood ashes and sludge). Their main advantages are their low cost and the opportunity to recycle them in a useful way. They may, however, cause disorders in the functioning of ecosystems and pollution when applied at high rate