scholarly journals Marine Fungi: the missing tile in the Ocean Biodiversity mosaic

Author(s):  
Giovanna Cristina Varese ◽  
Elena Bovio ◽  
Laura Garzoli ◽  
Giorgio Gnavi ◽  
Anna Poli ◽  
...  

In recent years, the Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis (MUT) carried out several research programs aiming to assess the marine fungal biodiversity mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, a biodiversity hotspot in the world. Several biotic and abiotic marine substrates,, were investigated: algae, seagrasses, invertebrates, wood, water and sediments from natural and anthropic sites. The isolated fungi cover all fungal groups, despite taxa belonging to Ascomycetes are predominant. Our results show how marine fungi are ubiquitous in the oceans and play key roles in several niches despite often neglected. Preliminary studies show that, in marine ecosystems as in the terrestrial one, some taxa are ubiquitary while others are specific and closely related to a specific host or substrate. The distribution of the mycobiota in the marine environment is far from being fully described. It is therefore difficult to understand how marine fungi can respond to climate change and/or interact with other marine organisms. To date, marine fungi have been studied principally for the production of secondary metabolites. Despite they shown to be an untapped source of novel molecules of biotechnological importance, almost unknown remains the role of these metabolites in interactions with other organisms that populate the Ocean.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Cristina Varese ◽  
Elena Bovio ◽  
Laura Garzoli ◽  
Giorgio Gnavi ◽  
Anna Poli ◽  
...  

In recent years, the Mycotheca Universitatis Taurinensis (MUT) carried out several research programs aiming to assess the marine fungal biodiversity mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, a biodiversity hotspot in the world. Several biotic and abiotic marine substrates,, were investigated: algae, seagrasses, invertebrates, wood, water and sediments from natural and anthropic sites. The isolated fungi cover all fungal groups, despite taxa belonging to Ascomycetes are predominant. Our results show how marine fungi are ubiquitous in the oceans and play key roles in several niches despite often neglected. Preliminary studies show that, in marine ecosystems as in the terrestrial one, some taxa are ubiquitary while others are specific and closely related to a specific host or substrate. The distribution of the mycobiota in the marine environment is far from being fully described. It is therefore difficult to understand how marine fungi can respond to climate change and/or interact with other marine organisms. To date, marine fungi have been studied principally for the production of secondary metabolites. Despite they shown to be an untapped source of novel molecules of biotechnological importance, almost unknown remains the role of these metabolites in interactions with other organisms that populate the Ocean.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V. Strygina

The article analyses the legal basis of activities of cleaning up the world oceans. It is emphasized that they are complex. The role of the UN in solving environmental problems is also highlighted. The need for international cooperation in the protection of the marine environment is mentioned. The article raises the problem of improving both international and national legislation and eliminating gaps in the law. The importance of social responsibility of business is emphasized.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk-Jan Dekker

In an effort to fight climate change, many cities try to boost their cycling levels. They often look towards the Dutch for guidance. However, historians have only begun to uncover how and why the Netherlands became the premier cycling country of the world. Why were Dutch cyclists so successful in their fight for a place on the road? Cycling Pathways: The Politics and Governance of Dutch Cycling Infrastructure, 1920-2020 explores the long political struggle that culminated in today’s high cycling levels. Delving into the archives, it uncovers the important role of social movements and shows in detail how these interacted with national, provincial, and urban engineers and policymakers to govern the distribution of road space and construction of cycling infrastructure. It discusses a wide range of topics, ranging from activists to engineering committees, from urban commuters to recreational cyclists and from the early 1900s to today in order to uncover the long and all-but-forgotten history of Dutch cycling governance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Bovio ◽  
Estelle Sfecci ◽  
Anna Poli ◽  
Giorgio Gnavi ◽  
Valeria Prigione ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Marine fungi are part of the huge and understudied biodiversity hosted in the sea. To broaden the knowledge on fungi inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea and their role in sponge holobiont, three sponges namely Aplysina cavernicola, Crambe crambe and Phorbas tenacior were collected in Villefranche sur Mer, (France) at about 25 m depth. The fungal communities associated with the sponges were isolated using different techniques to increase the numbers of fungi isolated. All fungi were identified to species level giving rise to 19, 13 and 3 species for P. tenacior, A. cavernicola and C. crambe, respectively. Of note, 35.7% and 50.0% of the species detected were either reported for the first time in the marine environment or in association with sponges. The mini-satellite analysis confirmed the uniqueness of the mycobiota of each sponge, leading to think that the sponge, with its metabolome, may shape the microbial community.


Author(s):  
Claire Frost

Basic Services for All in an Urbanizing World is the third instalment in United Cities and Local Government’s (UCLG) flagship series of global reports on local democracy and decentralisation (GOLD III). In the context of rapid urbanisation, climate change and economic uncertainty the report is an impressive attempt to analyse local government’s role in the provision of basic services, the challenges they are facing, and make recommendations to improve local government’s ability to ensure access for all. Published in 2014, the report is well positioned to feed into the current debate on what will follow the UN Millennium Development Goals, and examines the role of local government in the provision of basic services across the world regions.


Author(s):  
Mehrgol Tiv ◽  
David Livert ◽  
Trisha Dehrone ◽  
Maya Godbole ◽  
Laura López-Aybar ◽  
...  

In 2021, the world continues to face a serious, widespread challenge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and civil society are grappling with unprecedented impacts on healthcare and the economy as well as restrictions of normal social interactions of millions. Still, the climate emergency has not rested. Unless addressed, carbon levels will continue to rise through this pandemic, the development and disbursements of vaccines, and the next pandemic. From a psychological perspective, there are many commonalities between the current COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing crisis of climate change. This whitepaper begins by summarizing the broad similarities between these two crises. From there, we draw parallels between COVID-19 and climate change across four domains of psychological research. In doing this, we identify evidence-based approaches that policymakers and other key decision-makers can adopt to holistically respond to the two global crises of climate change and public health. We conclude with a broad discussion on the role of psychological science (and other social and behavioral sciences) in policy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-95
Author(s):  
Kati Kraehnert ◽  
Daniel Osberghaus ◽  
Christian Hott ◽  
Lemlem Teklegiorgis Habtemariam ◽  
Frank Wätzold ◽  
...  

Abstract Extreme weather events increasingly threaten the economic situation of households and enterprises around the world. Insurance against extreme weather events is among the climate change adaptation instruments that are currently discussed by the policy community. This overview paper provides a synopsis of the state of research on insurance against extreme weather events, outlining advantages and limitations inherent in three main types of insurance: indemnity-based insurance, index-based insurance, and insurance-linked securities. The paper discusses issues related to insurance uptake, distributional effects, misleading incentives and potentially negative side effects, as well as the role of the state.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
K R DEVIKA ◽  
P MUHAMED ASHRAF

Dear Professor,<div><p>I am herewith enclosing a research paper entitled “<b>Electrochemical characteristics of BIS 2062 carbon steel under simulated ocean acidification scenario.</b>” authored by Devika KR, and me. </p> <p>The research paper highlights the behavior of carbon steel in acidified natural seawater. Ocean acidification is a burning issue under climate change. Several studies have undertaken to understand the behavior marine organisms and marine environment. No studies have initiated regarding the deterioration of materials due to ocean acidification. Large number of materials were deployed in the ocean with different objectives. These materials are under risk as the ocean acidification continues. We believe this is the first attempt to study the impact of ocean acidification on carbon steel. </p> <p>The study conducted to evaluate the impact of ocean acidification on BIS 2062 boat building steel. The results showed that the carbon steel will deteriorate 2 to 3 times higher when pH was changed from 8.05 to 7.90. The data highlights the immediate need to redesign the marine materials within 1-2 decade. The paper also highlights the possible mechanism of deterioration under different pH scenario.</p><p>Thanking you</p><p>Sincerely</p><p>ashrafp</p><br></div>


Author(s):  
Henry Shue

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in Rio de Janeiro at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992 establishes no dates and no dollars. No dates are specified by which emissions are to be reduced by the wealthy states, and no dollars are specified with which the wealthy states will assist the poor states to avoid an environmentally dirty development like our own. The convention is toothless because throughout the negotiations in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee during 1991 to 1992, the United States played the role of dentist: whenever virtually all the other states in the world (with the notable exceptions of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) agreed to convention language with teeth, the United States insisted that the teeth be pulled out. The Clinton administration now faces a strategic question: should the next step aim at a comprehensive treaty covering all greenhouse gases (GHGs) or at a narrower protocol covering only one, or a few, gases, for example, only fossil-fuel carbon dioxide (CO2)? Richard Stewart and Jonathan Wiener (1992) have argued for moving directly to a comprehensive treaty, while Thomas Drennen (1993) has argued for a more focused beginning. I will suggest that Drennen is essentially correct that we should not try to go straight to a comprehensive treaty, at least not of the kind advocated by Stewart and Wiener. First I would like to develop a framework into which to set issues of equity or justice of the kind introduced by Drennen. It would be easier if we faced only one question about justice, but several questions are not only unavoidable individually but are entangled with one another. In addition, each question can be given not simply alternative answers but answers of different kinds. In spite of this multiplicity of possible answers to the multiplicity of inevitable and interconnected questions, I think we can lay out the issues fairly clearly and establish that commonsense principles converge to a remarkable extent upon what ought to be done, at least for the next decade or so.


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