scholarly journals Secondary production as a tool for better understanding of aquatic ecosystems

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1230-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dolbeth ◽  
M. Cusson ◽  
R. Sousa ◽  
M.A. Pardal
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Production ◽  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Aquatic Ecology ◽  
Empirical Models ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Ecological Change ◽  
Production Studies ◽  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function

A major challenge for ecologists is understanding ecosystem dynamics and function under environmental and anthropogenic stresses. An approach for addressing this challenge is the analysis of the different components contributing to secondary production (i.e., consumer incorporation of organic matter or energy per time unit) and how this production is influenced by external factors. Production studies have been recognized as a powerful tool in aquatic ecology, with applications in energy–biomass flow studies, trophic ecology, management of biological resources, as well as assessment of environmental stress. In this paper, we summarize ideas and techniques related to the estimation of secondary production and discuss how this approach may be used to evaluate ecological change in aquatic ecosystems. We include a critical review of classical methods and empirical models to estimate secondary production and provide several applications of production studies to current stresses affecting aquatic ecosystems, such as climate change, pollution, and the introduction of non-indigenous invasive species. Our goal is to illustrate the advantages of using secondary production as a more integrative tool for the assessment of the ecosystem function, in particular when subjected to strong anthropogenic and climatic stress.

Advancing an Ecosystem Approach in the Gulf of Maine

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Sensor Arrays ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Dynamical Structure ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Function

<i>Abstract</i> .—Here we summarize presentations given at the theme session “Structure and Function of the Gulf of Maine System” of the 2009 Gulf of Maine Symposium— Advancing Ecosystem Research for the Future of the Gulf, covering a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary research underway in one of the world’s most intensively studied marine systems. Our objective was to attempt a synthesis of the current ecological and oceanographic understanding of the Gulf of Maine and, in particular, to document progress in these areas since the 1996 Gulf of Maine Ecosystem Dynamics Symposium more than a decade earlier. Presentations at the session covered issues ranging from habitat structure and function, biodiversity, population structure, trophic ecology, the intersection of the biological, chemical and physical oceanography of the region, and the dynamics of economically important species. Important strides in characterizing the broader dimensions of biodiversity in the region, the establishment of new sampling programs and the availability of new sensor arrays, and the renewed emphasis synthesis and integration to meet the emerging needs for ecosystem-based management in the gulf have all contributed to a deepened appreciation of its dynamical structure. The critical importance of the ecosystem goods and services provided by the gulf, and the factors affecting the sustainable delivery of these services, was clearly demonstrated in the course of the session. The papers presented at the session made it clear how far we have come and how far we need to go to ensure the sustainable delivery of these services into the future.

scholarly journals Agricultural Conservation Practices and Aquatic Ecological Responses

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 1687
Author(s):  
Richard E. Lizotte ◽  
Peter C. Smiley ◽  
Robert B. Gillespie ◽  
Scott S. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Harmful Algal Blooms ◽  
Algal Blooms ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Ecological Responses ◽  
And Function

Conservation agriculture practices (CAs) have been internationally promoted and used for decades to enhance soil health and mitigate soil loss. An additional benefit of CAs has been mitigation of agricultural runoff impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Countries across the globe have agricultural agencies that provide programs for farmers to implement a variety of CAs. Increasingly there is a need to demonstrate that CAs can provide ecological improvements in aquatic ecosystems. Growing global concerns of lost habitat, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, increased eutrophication and associated harmful algal blooms are expected to intensify with increasing global populations and changing climate. We conducted a literature review identifying 88 studies linking CAs to aquatic ecological responses since 2000. Most studies were conducted in North America (78%), primarily the United States (73%), within the framework of the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Project. Identified studies most frequently documented macroinvertebrate (31%), fish (28%), and algal (20%) responses to riparian (29%), wetland (18%), or combinations (32%) of CAs and/or responses to eutrophication (27%) and pesticide contamination (23%). Notable research gaps include better understanding of biogeochemistry with CAs, quantitative links between varying CAs and ecological responses, and linkages of CAs with aquatic ecosystem structure and function.

scholarly journals Exploring the microbiome in health and disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 239784731774188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Scotti ◽  
Stéphanie Boué ◽  
Giuseppe Lo Sasso ◽  
Filippo Zanetti ◽  
Vincenzo Belcastro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function

The analysis of human microbiome is an exciting and rapidly expanding field of research. In the past decade, the biological relevance of the microbiome for human health has become evident. Microbiome comprises a complex collection of microorganisms, with their genes and metabolites, colonizing different body niches. It is now well known that the microbiome interacts with its host, assisting in the bioconversion of nutrients and detoxification, supporting immunity, protecting against pathogenic microbes, and maintaining health. Remarkable new findings showed that our microbiome not only primarily affects the health and function of the gastrointestinal tract but also has a strong influence on general body health through its close interaction with the nervous system and the lung. Therefore, a perfect and sensitive balanced interaction of microbes with the host is required for a healthy body. In fact, growing evidence suggests that the dynamics and function of the indigenous microbiota can be influenced by many factors, including genetics, diet, age, and toxicological agents like cigarette smoke, environmental contaminants, and drugs. The disruption of this balance, that is called dysbiosis, is associated with a plethora of diseases, including metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, periodontitis, skin diseases, and neurological disorders. The importance of the host microbiome for the human health has also led to the emergence of novel therapeutic approaches focused on the intentional manipulation of the microbiota, either by restoring missing functions or eliminating harmful roles. In the present review, we outline recent studies devoted to elucidate not only the role of microbiome in health conditions and the possible link with various types of diseases but also the influence of various toxicological factors on the microbial composition and function.

scholarly journals Critical requirement of SOS1 RAS-GEF function for mitochondrial dynamics, metabolism, and redox homeostasis

Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rósula García-Navas ◽  
Pilar Liceras-Boillos ◽  
Carmela Gómez ◽  
Fernando C. Baltanás ◽  
Nuria Calzada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dynamics ◽  
Redox Homeostasis ◽  
Atp Production ◽  
Oxidative Energy Metabolism ◽  
Ras Activation ◽  
Mitochondrial Defects ◽  
Critical Requirement ◽  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function ◽  
And Control

AbstractSOS1 ablation causes specific defective phenotypes in MEFs including increased levels of intracellular ROS. We showed that the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoTEMPO restores normal endogenous ROS levels, suggesting predominant involvement of mitochondria in generation of this defective SOS1-dependent phenotype. The absence of SOS1 caused specific alterations of mitochondrial shape, mass, and dynamics accompanied by higher percentage of dysfunctional mitochondria and lower rates of electron transport in comparison to WT or SOS2-KO counterparts. SOS1-deficient MEFs also exhibited specific alterations of respiratory complexes and their assembly into mitochondrial supercomplexes and consistently reduced rates of respiration, glycolysis, and ATP production, together with distinctive patterns of substrate preference for oxidative energy metabolism and dependence on glucose for survival. RASless cells showed defective respiratory/metabolic phenotypes reminiscent of those of SOS1-deficient MEFs, suggesting that the mitochondrial defects of these cells are mechanistically linked to the absence of SOS1-GEF activity on cellular RAS targets. Our observations provide a direct mechanistic link between SOS1 and control of cellular oxidative stress and suggest that SOS1-mediated RAS activation is required for correct mitochondrial dynamics and function.

scholarly journals Dynamics and function of compact nucleosome arrays

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 938-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G Poirier ◽  
Eugene Oh ◽  
Hannah S Tims ◽  
Jonathan Widom
Keyword(s):  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function ◽  
Nucleosome Arrays

scholarly journals Dynamics and mechanism of ultrafast water–protein interactions

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (30) ◽  
pp. 8424-8429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangzhong Qin ◽  
Lijuan Wang ◽  
Dongping Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Hydration Shell ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Ultrafast Dynamics ◽  
Hydration Water ◽  
Water Side ◽  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function

Protein hydration is essential to its structure, dynamics, and function, but water–protein interactions have not been directly observed in real time at physiological temperature to our awareness. By using a tryptophan scan with femtosecond spectroscopy, we simultaneously measured the hydration water dynamics and protein side-chain motions with temperature dependence. We observed the heterogeneous hydration dynamics around the global protein surface with two types of coupled motions, collective water/side-chain reorientation in a few picoseconds and cooperative water/side-chain restructuring in tens of picoseconds. The ultrafast dynamics in hundreds of femtoseconds is from the outer-layer, bulk-type mobile water molecules in the hydration shell. We also found that the hydration water dynamics are always faster than protein side-chain relaxations but with the same energy barriers, indicating hydration shell fluctuations driving protein side-chain motions on the picosecond time scales and thus elucidating their ultimate relationship.

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