Konservat-Lagerstätten from the Upper Jurassic lithographic limestone of the Causse Méjean (Lozère, southern France): palaeontological and palaeoenvironmental synthesis

Since the 1980s, the Upper Jurassic lithographic limestone of the Causse Méjean (southern France) has been known by local naturalists to yield fossils. However, until the beginning of the 21st century, this plattenkalk remained largely undersampled and scientifically underestimated. Here, we present the results of two decades of prospection and sampling in the Drigas and the Nivoliers quarries. We provide the first palaeontological inventory of the fossil flora, the fauna and the ichnofauna for these localities. The fossil assemblages show the co-occurrence of marine and terrestrial organisms. Marine organisms include algae, bivalves, brachiopods, cephalopods (ammonites, belemnites and coleoids such as Trachyteuthis), echinoderms, decapod crustaceans (ghost shrimps, penaeoid shrimps and glypheoid lobsters) and fishes (including several actinopterygians and a coelacanth). Terrestrial organisms consist of plant remains (conifers, bennettitaleans, pteridosperms) and a single rhynchocephalian (Kallimodon cerinensis). Ichnofossils comprise traces of marine invertebrates (e.g. limulid trackways, ammonite touch mark) as well as coprolites and regurgitalites. Given the exquisite preservation of these fossils, the two quarries can be considered as Konservat-Lagerstätten. Both lithological features and fossil content suggest a calm, protected and shallow-marine environment such as a lagoon partially or occasionally open to the sea. Most fossils are allochthonous to parautochthonous and document diverse ecological habitats. Similarly to other famous Upper Jurassic plattenkalks of western Europe such as Solnhofen, Cerin or Canjuers, the Causse Méjean is a key landmark for our understanding of coastal/lagoonal palaeoecosystems during the Kimmeridgian–Tithonian interval.

Thainema gen. nov. (Leptolyngbyaceae, Synechococcales): A new genus of simple trichal cyanobacteria isolated from a solar saltern environment in Thailand

Simple trichal types constitute a group of cyanobacteria with an abundance of novel, often cryptic taxa. Here, we investigated material collected from wet surface-soil in a saline environment in Petchaburi Province, central Thailand. A morphological comparison of the isolated strain with similar known species, as well as its phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses based on the combined datasets of other related organisms, especially simple trichal cyanobacteria, revealed that the material of this study represented an independent taxon. Using a multifaceted method, we propose that this material represents a new genus, Thainema gen. nov., belonging to the family Leptolyngbyaceae, with the type species Thainema salinarum sp. nov. This novel taxon shares similar ecological habitats with strains previously placed in the same lineage.

Isolation of Pseudomonas species from soil sample for production of Pyoverdine and evaluation of its potential as an antimicrobial agent

Pyoverdine, a fluorescent siderophore that have high- affinity for iron is produced by Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that synthesizes it under iron-deficient growth conditions. Pseudomonas species are often encountered in diverse ecological habitats along side being censurable for nosocomial infections spread round the world. Due to these characteristics, there's a growing interest during this microbe for a spread of uses. One such is the production of Pyoverdine, it influences the uptake of iron, along with eliminating the limited iron availability condition. Pyoverdine is important for Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cause acute infections. Intense research and study led to the invention of Pyoverdines being a crucial source of chelating Iron. This study is predicated on Pyoverdine extracted from two different species of Pseudomonas which will act as an antimicrobial agent for various species including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The organism, i.e., Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were isolated from soil sample using medias like: Cetrimide media, King’s B media. It had been confirmed using primary biochemical tests, along side species level identification (MALDI - TOF). Isolation was followed by studying the antimicrobial activity of Pyoverdine on different organisms using antibiotics as standard for the same. Results for the tests were obtained, colonies were observed on specific media and zone of inhibition was observed on Muller Hinton plate. Comparative studies were carried out to find which organism used up Pyoverdine or Pyoverdine - Fe complex without using FeCl3 as sole standard source. Thus, these compounds can synergize with conventional antimicrobials, forming a simpler treatment with serving as a useful gizmo

Gas, Water and Solid Waste Treatment Technology

The increasing trends in gas pollution, water pollution, and solid waste pollution have an adverse impact on human health and ecological habitats [...]

Leaf epidermal anatomy of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. in relation to ecotypic adaptation

Qualitative and quantitative studies were done on leaf epidermal characteristics with special reference to stomatal features to find out the impact of environmental condition on twenty four accessions of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. collected from different ecological habitats of Bangladesh. The foliar epidermal peels from both surfaces of mature leaves were observed under microscope. The leaves were found to be amphistomatic and stomata were paracytic type. The epidermal cells in this study were found to be sinuous. Silica bodies were found to be saddle and cross shaped. Prickles angular were pointed at the tip. Macro-hairs were present in all the accessions, but no micro-hair was found both adaxially or abaxially. Stomatal frequency and stomatal index were found to vary from accession to accession on both adaxial and abaxial surface of leaves, and the differences were statistically significant in most of the cases. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 28(1): 171-193, 2021 (June)

Identification of New Sub-Fossil Diatoms Flora in the Sediments of Suncheonman Bay, Korea

Suncheonman Bay, Korea’s most representative estuary, is an invasive coastal wetland composed of 22.6 km2 of tidal flats surrounded by the Yeosu and Goheung Peninsulas. In January 2006, this region was registered in the Ramsar Convention list in Korea, representing the first registered wetland. Estuaries are generally known to have high species diversity. In particular, several studies have been conducted on planktonic and epipelic diatoms as primary producers. Suncheonman Bay has already been involved in many biological and geochemical studies, but fossil diatoms have not been evaluated. Therefore, we investigated fossil diatoms in Suncheonman Bay and introduced sub-fossil diatoms recorded in Korea. One sedimentary core has been extracted in 2018. We identified 87 diatom taxa from 52 genera in the SCW03 core sample. Of these, six species represent new records in Korea: Cymatonitzschia marina, Fallacia hodgeana, Navicula mannii, Metascolioneis tumida, Surirella recedens, and Thalassionema synedriforme. These six newly recorded diatom species were examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The ecological habitats for all the investigated taxa are presented.

Research and Application of Molecular and Phenotypic Data for Tree Biodiversity Evaluation

The main challenges for tree crop improvement are linked to the sustainable development of agro-ecological habitats, improving the adaptability to limiting environmental factors and resistance to biotic stresses or promoting novel genotypes with improved agronomic traits [...]

Using parasites as biological tag for Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) migration in Bangladesh waters

The study was aimed at following the movement of adolescent Tenualosa ilisha from nursery grounds to feeding and spawning grounds or other type of movements in Bangladesh waters. To accomplish this, data on metazoan endoparasites were used as biological tags for detection of migratory route. A total of 2667 host fishes were collected from eleven sites covering the three different ecological habitats of Bangladesh. Initial selection of parasites as biological tags was executed by using established criteria, primarily on the basis of different level of infection in different habitats. The role of incidental parasites as tags is also discussed. Overall fourteen species under eleven genus of endohelminths were identified from alimentary canal and associated organs of host, only three species of them had satisfied the criteria of being as biological tag. These are cestode parasite Ilisha parthenogenetica and acanthocephalan parasite Acanthosentis indica and Acanthosentis hilsai. Higher prevalence of these parasites at respective sites and the trend of prevalence of infection in size class of host fish demonstrated host‟s anadromous nature and reinforced the belief that the T. ilisha as a whole, migrates from the sea to the rivers via the estuaries and vice versa. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(2): 243-251, 2020