Structural and functional changes in the fungal community of plant detritus in an invaded Atlantic Forest

Abstract Background Changes in the fungal community in the litter decomposition by invasive plants can negatively impact nutrient cycling in natural ecosystems. One still does not know the dimension of this hypothesis, but apparently, it is not despicable. This study evaluated the assemblage composition of fungi during litter decomposition in areas of Atlantic Forest invaded or not invaded by Tradescantia zebrina using Illumina MiSeq and metabarcoding analysis. Results The invaded sample showed significantly higher richness and a difference in the species dominance than the invaded litter. Ascomycota was the first most abundant phylum in both areas. Even so, the dissimilarity between areas can be evidenced. The fungal from Basidiomycota were very representative in the non-invaded areas (ranged from an abundance of 43.29% in the non-invaded to 2.35% in the invaded sample). The genus Lepiota can indicate the primary functional group related to biomass degradation and showed the might difference about the invaded areas due to its essential reduction by the invader. In the invaded sample, there was a total absence of the endophyte-undefined saprotroph guild. Also, some genera not taxonomically characterized were eliminated in the invaded sample, revealing that the fungal biodiversity of areas has not yet been thoroughly characterized. Conclusions Hence, makes impossible the real interpretation of the invasive plant impact, showing the importance of continuing research on fungal biodiversity. It is important to emphasize that the replacement of the native species by T. zebrina may be responsible for the elimination of fungal groups that have not yet been identified.

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The Biology of Invasive Alien Plants in Canada. 4. Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p05-158 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 86 (2) ◽

pp. 569-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Nicholas A. Page ◽

Ronald E. Wall ◽

Stephen J. Darbyshire ◽

Gerald A. Mulligan

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Native Species ◽

Invasive Plant ◽

Leaf Shape ◽

Herbarium Specimens ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Alien Plant ◽

Invasive Alien Plant ◽

Heracleum Mantegazzianum

Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed) is an invasive alien plant of management concern in southern Canada where it has escaped from horticulture and established and spread in natural, ruderal, and agricultural ecosystems. It poses a threat to natural ecosystems and human health, and is also a weed in agricultural and urban areas. It is a member of the Carrot family (Apiaceae) and is closely related to the native species Heracleum maximum Bartram (cow-parsnip). It is a monocarpic perennial, which generally flowers in its 3rd or 4th year. Large size, leaf shape, dark reddish pigments in patches on stems and petioles, and fruit characteristics readily distinguish H. mantegazzianum from other plants in Canada. It is increasingly common in riparian areas, floodplains, and forest edges in or near urban areas in southwestern British Columbia and southern Ontario. Based on herbarium specimens, H. mantegazzianum was first recorded in Ontario in 1949, British Columbia in 1964, Nova Scotia in 1980, Quebec in 1990, and New Brunswick in 2000. The development of dense stands of H. mantegazzianum can also reduce the richness of native plants. Contact with H. mantegazzianum can cause phytophotodermatitis, a serious skin inflammation caused by UV photo-activation of furanocoumarins present in the sap. Control methods include herbicide application, mechanical cutting, and animal grazing, but strategies to address seed dispersal and re-establishment from dormant seed must also be adopted. Widespread establishment in southern Canada suggests that eradication is unlikely. However, range expansion and rapid population growth can be prevented through strategic management including public education. Key words: Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Apiaceae, HERMZ, invasive plant, weed biology, furanocoumarins

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Preparation and Characterization of Novel Magnesium Composite/Walnut Shells-Derived Biochar for As and P Sorption from Aqueous Solutions

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11080714 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 714

Author(s):

Vladimír Frišták ◽

Martin Pipíška ◽

Vladimír Turčan ◽

Stephen M. Bell ◽

Haywood Dail Laughinghouse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aqueous Solutions ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Walnut Shell ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Functional Changes ◽

P Sorption ◽

Sorption Efficiency ◽

Walnut Shells ◽

Potential Capacity ◽

Sorption From Aqueous Solutions

Elevated or unnatural levels of arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in soils and waterbodies from anthropogenic sources can present significant hazards for both natural ecosystems and human food production. Effective, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive materials, such as biochar, are needed to reduce mobility and bioavailability of As and P. While biochar features several physicochemical properties that make it an ideal contaminant sorbent, certain modifications such as mineral-impregnation can improve sorption efficiencies for targeted compounds. Here, we conducted sorption experiments to investigate and quantify the potential utility of magnesium (Mg) for improving biochar sorption efficiency of P and As. We synthesized a Mg-modified walnut shells-derived biochar and characterized its ability to remove As and P from aqueous solutions, thereby mitigating losses of valuable P when needed while, at the same time, immobilizing hazardous As in ecosystems. SEM-EDX, FTIR and elemental analysis showed morphological and functional changes of biochar and the formation of new Mg-based composites (MgO, MgOHCl) responsible for improved sorption potential capacity by 10 times for As and 20 times for P. Sorption efficiency was attributed to improved AEC, higher SSA, chemical forms of sorbates and new sorption site formations. Synthetized Mg-composite/walnut shell-derived biochar also removed >90% of P from real samples of wastewater, indicating its potential suitability for contaminated waterbody remediation.

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MICRONUTRIENT CONTENTS IN THE PROFILE OF A RECOVERED SOIL WITH SEWAGE SLUDGE AND NATIVE SPECIES OF ATLANTIC FOREST

FLORESTA ◽

10.5380/rf.v49i3.59351 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 485

Author(s):

Lívia Mara Lima Goulart ◽

Marianne Fidalgo de Faria ◽

Grasiela Spada ◽

Thiago Tássio de Souza Silva ◽

Iraê Amaral Guerrini

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Soil Profile ◽

Native Species ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Mineral Fertilization ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Final Destination ◽

Potassium Supplementation

The use of sewage sludge in agriculture and recovery of degraded areas has been shown as a promising alternative for its final destination. Studies on micronutrient levels after sludge application are necessary to avoid soil contamination at toxic levels. The objective of this work was to verify the micronutrient contents in the soil profile and pH, up to one-meter-deep, nine years after the application of sewage sludge and planting of native species of the Atlantic Forest. The experiment was implemented in a degraded Quartzeneic Neosol and conducted in randomized blocks with four replicates and eight treatments, consisting of six doses of sewage sludge (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Mg ha-1, with supplementation of potassium due to low concentration in the residue), besides the control treatment, mineral fertilization and only potassium supplementation. After nine years, the contents of all micronutrients evaluated presented a significant response to the application of the treatments, and the application of sewage sludge provided an increase in their contents. Soil pH remained stable at sites receiving mineral fertilization and potassium supplementation. Only manganese and zinc showed mobility in the soil profile. The application of sewage sludge in degraded soil increases the micronutrient content and decreases its movement in the soil profile, and the application of the maximum dose of the residue does not provide toxic levels of these elements in the soil in the long term.

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Forestry practices and biodiversity, with particular reference to the Maritime Provinces of eastern Canada

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/a94-003 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 33-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Bill Freedman ◽

Stephen Woodley ◽

Judy Loo

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Forest Products ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Old Growth ◽

Industrial Facilities ◽

Levels Of Organization ◽

Forestry Practices ◽

Forest Industries ◽

Ecologically Sustainable

The Canadian forest industries are based on the extensive harvesting and management of forests, with attendant effects on biodiversity at all levels of organization. In large part, conflicts between forestry and biodiversity occur because lands that are harvested and managed are mostly natural and seminatural ecosystems. Prior to being affected by forestry, such lands provided habitat for native species of wild life and their communities. Some of these elements of biodiversity may not find silvicultural habitats, especially plantations, to be suitable to their needs. In addition, the longer term integrity of some natural ecosystems, for example old-growth forests, is not compatible with any but the softest types of exploitation and management. This report discusses interactions of forestry and biodiversity at three levels of organization: (i) genetic variation within populations and species; (ii) the richness of species within communities; and (iii) the richness of community types on the landscape. A broader conclusion of our report is the following: If forestry systems of harvesting and management are to be practised in an ecologically sustainable fashion, then all elements of biodiversity must be accommodated within a landscape comprised of an integration of working lands and ecological reserves. The spatial scale of this integration could be various, ranging from large watersheds, to the "woodsheds" of particular industrial facilities, to provincial and national areas. Therefore, resolution of the substantial conflicts between biodiversity and forestry requires the design of ecologically sustainable landscapes that can provide a flow of timber and other valuated forest products, while still sustaining natural biodiversity resources.Key words: forest management, biodiversity, ecological reserves, eastern Canada, harvesting practices, old growth.

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Nature as a theme in Canadian literature

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/a05-013 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 169-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kate Turner ◽

Bill Freedman

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Environmental Literacy ◽

Natural World ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Canadian Literature ◽

Literary Expression ◽

Nature Literature ◽

Century Poetry ◽

Literature Culture

The relationships of people with the natural world are expressed in diverse ways, including painting, photographs, sculpture, song, video, and literature. In this document, we review historical and contemporary portrayals of nature as a theme in Canadian literature. Our assessment is intended to explore how Canadians have articulated their feelings about nature through literary expression, and to thereby gain insight into their empathy for natural ecosystems and native species, and their concern about damage caused to those values. We begin with a broad overview of nature as a theme in cultural expression, including overarching ones in Canadian literature, and discuss the influential literary views of Northrop Frye, Margaret Atwood, and their critics. We then examine the expression of nature within seven focal areas: early aboriginal expression, narratives of explorers, stories of settlers, the genre of animal stories, 20th-century poetry, recent aboriginal literature, and environmental ideas in contemporary prose. We identify six dominant themes of the expression of nature in Canadian literature: (1) humans as a part of nature; (2) a bounty of natural resources; (3) fear of an adversarial wilderness; (4) improvement of nature; (5) regret of environmental damage and perhaps despair of the future; and (6) love and respect of species and natural landscapes. Finally, we discuss how nature as a theme embedded in Canadian literature can be harnessed to further the compelling objectives of environmental literacy by providing sympathetic insights into the relationships of people and society with the species and ecosystems with which they share Canada.Key words: nature, literature, culture, Canada, environmental literacy.

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Effect of vertebrate exclusion on leaf litter decomposition in the coastal Atlantic forest of southeast Brazil

Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1007/s42965-021-00189-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gabriela Garcia Medeiros ◽

Juliana Antonio ◽

Michelle Harrison ◽

Luciana Della Coletta ◽

Amin Soltangheisi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Litter ◽

Litter Decomposition ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Leaf Litter Decomposition ◽

Southeast Brazil

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Ticks infesting birds in Atlantic Forest fragments in Rio Claro, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612013000100003 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 6-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gustavo Seron Sanches ◽

Thiago Fernandes Martins ◽

Ileyne Tenório Lopes ◽

Luís Flávio da Silva Costa ◽

Pablo Henrique Nunes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Tick Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Native Forest ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

São Paulo ◽

Eucalyptus Tereticornis ◽

New Host ◽

New Host Records

In the present study, we report tick infestations on wild birds in plots of the Atlantic Forest reforested fragments with native species and plots reforested with Eucalyptus tereticornis in the municipality of Rio Claro, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A total of 256 birds were captured: 137 individuals of 33 species, in planted native forest; and 128 individuals of 37 species, in planted Eucalyptus tereticornis forest. Nymphs of two tick species were found on the birds: Amblyomma calcaratumand Amblyomma longirostre, the former was more abundant in the fragments reforested with Atlantic forest native species, and the latter in the fragment reforested with E. tereticornis. New host records were presented for A. calcaratum.

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Wood species identification from Atlantic forest by near infrared spectroscopy

Forest Systems ◽

10.5424/fs/2019283-14558 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. e015

Author(s):

José-Henrique Camargo Pace ◽

João-Vicente De Figueiredo Latorraca ◽

Paulo-Ricardo Gherardi Hein ◽

Alexandre Monteiro de Carvalho ◽

Jonnys Paz Castro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Least Squares ◽

Partial Least Squares ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Wood Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Partial Least Squares Regression ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Good Ability

Aim of study: Fast and reliable wood identification solutions are needed to combat the illegal trade in native woods. In this study, multivariate analysis was applied in near-infrared (NIR) spectra to identify wood of the Atlantic Forest species.Area of study: Planted forests located in the Vale Natural Reserve in the county of Sooretama (19 ° 01'09 "S 40 ° 05'51" W), Espírito Santo, Brazil.Material and methods: Three trees of 12 native species from homogeneous plantations. The principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression by discriminant function (PLS-DA) were performed on the woods spectral signatures.Main results: The PCA scores allowed to agroup some wood species from their spectra. The percentage of correct classifications generated by the PLS-DA model was 93.2%. In the independent validation, the PLS-DA model correctly classified 91.3% of the samples.Research highlights: The PLS-DA models were adequate to classify and identify the twelve native wood species based on the respective NIR spectra, showing good ability to classify independent native wood samples.Keywords: native woods; NIR spectra; principal components; partial least squares regression.

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