Plant biodiversity assessment through pollen DNA metabarcoding in Natura 2000 habitats (Italian Alps)

11openInternationalInternational coauthor/editorMonitoring biodiversity is of increasing importance in natural ecosystems. Metabarcoding can be used as a powerful molecular tool to complement traditional biodiversity monitoring, as total environmental DNA can be analyzed from complex samples containing DNA of different origin. The aim of this research was to demonstrate the potential of pollen DNA metabarcoding using the chloroplast trnL partial gene sequencing to characterize plant biodiversity. Collecting airborne biological particles with gravimetric Tauber traps in four Natura 2000 habitats within the Natural Park of Paneveggio Pale di San Martino (Italian Alps), at three-time intervals in 1 year, metabarcoding identified 68 taxa belonging to 32 local plant families. Metabarcoding could identify with finer taxonomic resolution almost all non-rare families found by conventional light microscopy concurrently applied. However, compared to microscopy quantitative results, Poaceae, Betulaceae, and Oleaceae were found to contribute to a lesser extent to the plant biodiversity and Pinaceae were more represented. Temporal changes detected by metabarcoding matched the features of each pollen season, as defined by aerobiological studies running in parallel, and spatial heterogeneity was revealed between sites. Our results showcase that pollen metabarcoding is a promising approach in detecting plant species composition which could provide support to continuous monitoring required in Natura 2000 habitats for biodiversity conservation.openLeontidou, Kleopatra; Vokou, Despoina; Sandionigi, Anna; Bruno, Antonia; Lazarina, Maria; De Groeve, Johannes; Li, Mingai; Varotto, Claudio; Girardi, Matteo; Casiraghi, Maurizio; Cristofori, AntonellaLeontidou, K.; Vokou, D.; Sandionigi, A.; Bruno, A.; Lazarina, M.; De Groeve, J.; Li, M.; Varotto, C.; Girardi, M.; Casiraghi, M.; Cristofori, A

Temperature-related changes in airborne allergenic pollen abundance and seasonality across the northern hemisphere : a retrospective data analysis

BACKGROUND: Ongoing climate change might, through rising temperatures, alter allergenic pollen biology across the northern hemisphere. We aimed to analyse trends in pollen seasonality and pollen load and to establish whether there are specific climate-related links to any observed changes. METHODS: For this retrospective data analysis, we did an extensive search for global datasets with 20 years or more of airborne pollen data that consistently recorded pollen season indices (eg, duration and intensity). 17 locations across three continents with long-term (approximately 26 years on average) quantitative records of seasonal concentrations of multiple pollen (aeroallergen) taxa met the selection criteria. These datasets were analysed in the context of recent annual changes in maximum temperature (T) and minimum temperature (T) associated with anthropogenic climate change. Seasonal regressions (slopes) of variation in pollen load and pollen season duration over time were compared to T, cumulative degree day T, T, cumulative degree day T, and frost-free days among all 17 locations to ascertain significant correlations. FINDINGS: 12 (71%) of the 17 locations showed significant increases in seasonal cumulative pollen or annual pollen load. Similarly, 11 (65%) of the 17 locations showed a significant increase in pollen season duration over time, increasing, on average, 0·9 days per year. Across the northern hemisphere locations analysed, annual cumulative increases in T over time were significantly associated with percentage increases in seasonal pollen load (r=0·52, p=0·034) as were annual cumulative increases in T (r=0·61, p=0·010). Similar results were observed for pollen season duration, but only for cumulative degree days (higher than the freezing point [0°C or 32°F]) for T (r=0·53, p=0·030) and T (r=0·48, p=0·05). Additionally, temporal increases in frost-free days per year were significantly correlated with increases in both pollen load (r=0·62, p=0·008) and pollen season duration (r=0·68, p=0·003) when averaged for all 17 locations. INTERPRETATION: Our findings reveal that the ongoing increase in temperature extremes (T and T) might already be contributing to extended seasonal duration and increased pollen load for multiple aeroallergenic pollen taxa in diverse locations across the northern hemisphere. This study, done across multiple continents, highlights an important link between ongoing global warming and public health-one that could be exacerbated as temperatures continue to increase. FUNDING: None

Changes to Airborne Pollen Counts across Europe

A progressive global increase in the burden of allergic diseases has affected the industrialized world over the last half century and has been reported in the literature. The clinical evidence reveals a general increase in both incidence and prevalence of respiratory diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (common hay fever) and asthma. Such phenomena may be related not only to air pollution and changes in lifestyle, but also to an actual increase in airborne quantities of allergenic pollen. Experimental enhancements of carbon dioxide (CO2) have demonstrated changes in pollen amount and allergenicity, but this has rarely been shown in the wider environment. The present analysis of a continental-scale pollen data set reveals an increasing trend in the yearly amount of airborne pollen for many taxa in Europe, which is more pronounced in urban than semi-rural/rural areas. Climate change may contribute to these changes, however increased temperatures do not appear to be a major influencing factor. Instead, we suggest the anthropogenic rise of atmospheric CO2 levels may be influentia

VOLATILE OILS AND THEIR ROLE IN PHRYGANIC ECOSYSTEMS

WE HAVE STUDIED THE SEASONAL VARIATION OF THE VOLATILE OIL CONCENTRATION OF FOUR AROMATIC PLANTS, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS, SATUREJA THYMBRA, THYMUS CAPITATUSAND ZEUCRIUM POLIUM AS WELL AS THE VARIATION OF THE MAIN CONSTITUENTS OF THEIR VOLATILE OILS. WE HAVE INVESTIGATED THE EFFECT OF THESE VOLATILE OILS AND OFTHEIR CONSTITUENTS ON SEED GERMINATION, SEEDLING GROWTH AND SURVIVAL BOTH OFCULTIVATED PLANTS AND WILD LEGUMES. A PHYTOTOXIC EFFECT APPEARED IN GENERAL; IT WAS MOST PRONOUNCEDLY EXPRESSED IN THE CASE OF SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF T. CAPITATUS IN PRESENCE OF ITS VOLATILE OIL. WE HAVE ESTIMATED THE SOIL RESPIRATION IN PRESENCE EITHER OF THESE VOLATILE OILS OR OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS. CO2 RELEASE WAS MARKEDLY INCREASED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THIS EFFECT WAS DUE TO VOLATILE OILS BEING USED AS A CARBON AND ENERGY SOURCE BY SOIL BACTERIA. ON THE CONTRARY, FUNGAL MYCELIUM GROWTH AND SPORE GERMINATION WERE SEVERELY INHIBITED, AT LEAST OF THE SPECIES TESTED, MUCOR HIEMALIS AND PENIALLIUM CITRINUM. AROMATIC PLANTS WERE ALSO COMPARED WITH THE OTHER WOODY PLANTS OF THE PHRYGANIC ECOSYSTEMS CONCERNING THEIR FLAMMABILITY. FINALLY WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF VOLATILE OIL PRODUCTION BEING A DEFENCE MECHANISM AGAINST OVERPREDATION BY HERBIVORES, ALTERNATIVE TO THAT OF SPINES FORMATION.ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΕ Η ΧΡΟΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΑΚΥΜΑΝΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΩΝ ΕΛΑΙΩΝ ΤΕΣΣΑΡΩΝ ΑΡΩΜΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΦΥΤΩΝ, ΤΩΝ ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS, RHYMUS CAPITATUS, SATUREJA THYMBRA ΚΑΙ ZEURRIUM POLIUM ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΠΟΙΟΤΙΚΗ ΣΥΣΤΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΚΥΜΑΝΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΚΥΡΙΩΝ ΣΥΣΤΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΟΥΣ. ΕΛΕΓΧΘΗΚΕ Η ΔΡΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΩΝ ΕΛΑΙΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΦΥΤΩΝ ΑΥΤΩΝ, ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΕΠΙΜΕΡΟΥΣ ΣΥΣΤΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΤΗ ΦΥΤΡΩΣΗ ΣΠΕΡΜΑΤΩΝ, ΑΥΞΗΣΗ ΑΡΤΙΒΛΑΣΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΥΝΑΤΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΕΠΙΒΙΩΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΩΝ ΣΕ ΚΑΛΛΙΕΡΓΟΥΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΦΥΗ ΨΥΧΑΝΘΗ ΦΥΤΑ. ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΜΙΑ ΓΕΝΙΚΗ ΦΥΤΟΤΟΞΙΚΗ ΔΡΑΣΗ ΠΟΥ ΗΤΑΝ ΙΣΧΥΡΟΤΕΡΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΔΟΚΙΜΕΣ ΠΟΥ ΑΦΟΡΟΥΝ ΤΗ ΦΥΤΡΩΣΗ ΣΠΕΡΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ ΑΡΤΙΒΛΑΣΤΩΝ Z. CAPITATUS ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΟΥ ΕΛΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ. ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΕ Η ΔΡΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΩΝ ΕΛΑΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΕΠΙΜΕΡΟΥΣ ΣΥΣΤΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΔΑΦΙΚΗ ΑΝΑΠΝΟΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΕΝΤΟΝΗ ΠΡΟΩΘΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ CO2. ΤΟ ΦΑΙΝΟΜΕΝΟ ΑΥΤΟ ΟΦΕΙΛΕΤΑΙ ΣΤΗ ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΩΝ ΕΛΑΙΩΝ ΣΑΝ ΠΗΓΗ ΑΝΘΡΑΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΕΔΑΦΙΚΑ ΒΑΚΤΗΡΙΑ. ΑΝΤΙΘΕΤΑ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΜΥΚΗΤΕΣ MUCOR HIEMALIS ΚΑΙ PENICILLIUM CITRINUM, ΟΠΟΥ ΔΟΚΙΜΑΣΤΗΚΑΝ ΠΙΣΤΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ ΑΝΑΣΤΟΛΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΜΥΚΗΛΙΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΒΛΑΣΤΗΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΣΠΟΡΙΩΝ. ΤΕΛΟΣ, ΣΥΓΚΡΙΘΗΚΑΝ ΤΑ ΑΡΩΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΦΥΤΑ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΑΛΛΑ ΞΥΛΩΔΗ ΤΟΥ ΦΡΥΓΑΝΙΚΟΥ ΟΙΚΟΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΩΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΦΛΕΞΙΜΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΥΠΟΘΕΣΗΣ ΟΤΙ ΤΑ ΑΙΘΕΡΙΑ ΕΛΑΙΑ, ΟΠΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΑ ΑΓΚΑΘΙΑ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΟΥΝ ΜΗΧΑΝΙΣΜΟ ΑΜΥΝΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΦΥΤΩΝ ΕΝΑΝΤΙ ΤΩΝ ΦΥΤΟΦΑΓΩΝ ΖΩΩΝ

Structural and physiological features of woody plants in phryganic ecosystems related to adaptive mechanisms

Margaris Nikos S., Vokou Despoina. Structural and physiological features of woody plants in phryganic ecosystems related to adaptive mechanisms. In: Ecologia mediterranea, tome 8 n°1-2, 1982. Définition et localisation des écosystèmes méditerranéens terrestres / Definition and localization of terrestrian Mediterranean biota. Saint-Maximin (France) 16-20/11/81. pp. 449-459

Monoterpene Enrichments Have Positive Impacts on Soil Bacterial Communities and the Potential of Application in Bioremediation

We study here how soil bacterial communities of different ecosystems respond to disturbances caused by enrichments with monoterpenes that are common essential oil constituents. We used fenchone, 1,8-cineol and α-pinene, and soils from phrygana, a typical Mediterranean-type ecosystem where aromatic plants abound, and from another five ecosystem types, focusing on culturable bacteria. Patterns of response were common to all ecosystems, but responses themselves were not always as pronounced in phrygana as in the other ecosystems, suggesting that these enrichments are less of a disturbance there. More specifically, soil respiration and abundance of the bacterial communities increased, becoming from below two up to 16 times as high as in control soils (for both attributes) and remained at high levels as long as these compounds were present. Bacteria that can utilize these three compounds as substrates of growth became dominant members of the bacterial communities in the enriched soils. All changes were readily reversible once monoterpene addition stopped. Bacteria with the ability to utilize these monoterpenes as carbon sources were found in soils from all ecosystems, 15 strains in total, suggesting a rather universal presence; of these, six could also utilize the organic pollutants toluene or p-xylene. These results suggest also potential novel applications of monoterpenes in combating soil pollution

Campanula lingulata populations on Mt. Olympus, Greece: where\u2019s the \u201cabundant centre\u201d?

Abstract Background The abundant-centre hypothesis (ACH) assumes that a species becomes more abundant at the centre of its range, where the environmental conditions are most favorable. As we move away from this centre, abundance and occupancy decline. Although this is obvious intuitively, efforts to confirm the hypothesis have often failed. We investigated the abundance patterns of Campanula lingulata across its altitudinal range on Mt. Olympus, Greece, in order to evaluate the \u201cabundant centre\u201d hypothesis along an elevation gradient. Furthermore, we explored the species\u2019 presence and dynamics at multiple spatial scales. Methods We recorded flowering individuals during the summer months of 2012 and 2013 along a series of transects defined by paths. We investigated whether the probability of acquiring a larger number of individuals is larger toward the centre of its altitudinal distribution. We also calculated mean presence and turnover at different spatial scales that ranged from quadrats of 10\ua0\ud7\ua010\ua0m 2 to about 10\ua0\ud7\ua010\ua0km 2 . Results We were able to identify an abundant centre but only for one of the years of sampling. During the second year, we noted a two-peak abundance pattern; with the first peak occurring at 650\u2013750\ua0m and the second at 1100\u20131300\ua0m. Variability in the species-presence pattern is observed across a wide range of spatial scales. The pattern along the transect displays fractal characteristics, consistent with a dimension of 0.24\u20130.29. We found substantial changes of state between the 2\ua0years at all resolutions. Conclusions Our results do not contradict the ACH, but indicate that ecological distributions exhibit types of variability that make the detection of abundant centres more difficult than expected. When a random fractal disturbance is superimposed upon an abundant centre, we can expect a pattern in which the centre is difficult to discern from a single instance. A multi-resolution or fractal approach to environmental variability is a promising approach for describing this phenomenon

SARS-CoV-2 as a Zooanthroponotic Infection: Spillbacks, Secondary Spillovers, and Their Importance

In the midst of a persistent pandemic of a probable zoonotic origin, one needs to constantly evaluate the interplay of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2) with animal populations. Animals can get infected from humans, and certain species, including mink and white-tailed deer, exhibit considerable animal-to-animal transmission resulting in potential endemicity, mutation pressure, and possible secondary spillover to humans. We attempt a comprehensive review of the available data on animal species infected by SARS-CoV-2, as presented in the scientific literature and official reports of relevant organizations. We further evaluate the lessons humans should learn from mink outbreaks, white-tailed deer endemicity, zoo outbreaks, the threat for certain species conservation, the possible implication of rodents in the evolution of novel variants such as Omicron, and the potential role of pets as animal reservoirs of the virus. Finally, we outline the need for a broader approach to the pandemic and epidemics, in general, incorporating the principles of One Health and Planetary Health

Impacts of Decaying Aromatic Plants on the Soil Microbial Community and on Tomato Seedling Growth and Metabolism: Suppression or Stimulation?

This study provides insight into changes in the features of tomato seedlings growing in soils enriched with spearmint, peppermint, or rosemary leaves and into changes in the microbial communities of these soils used as seedbeds; an organic amendment was also applied as a positive control. While the soil microbial community flourished in the presence of all three aromatic plants, tomato growth was inhibited or stimulated depending on the plant that was used. More specifically, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis showed an increase in the total microbial biomass and in the biomass of all the groups examined, except for actinobacteria, and changes in the microbial community structure, with Gram-negative bacteria and fungi being favoured in the mint treatments, in which the microbial biomass was maximized. Seedlings from the rosemary treatment were entirely inhibited; they were at the open-cotyledon stage throughout the experiment. Seedlings from the mint treatments were the heaviest, longest, and had the highest chlorophyll content and photosynthetic yield. Metabolomic analysis showed metabolism enhancement associated with both growth and priming in seedlings from the mint treatments and disruption of metabolic pathways in those from the rosemary treatment. There is a great potential for applying these aromatic plants as soil amendments and as either biostimulants of plant growth or as herbicides