Aerobic polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading bacteria isolated from the Tohoku region of Japan are not regionally endemic

In the Tohoku region of Japan, 72% of the land comprises mountain forest zones. During winter, severe climatic conditions include heavy snowfall. In such an environment, which is considered high in biodiversity, we assumed that aerobic bacteria would be diverse and would possess the ability to degrade polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, 78 environmental samples were collected from the Tohoku region and 56 aerobic PCB-degrading bacterial strains were isolated. They belonged to the genera Achromobacter, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Comamonas, Pigmentiphaga, Xenophilus, Acinetobacter, and Pandoraea. Previously reported aerobic PCB-degrading bacterial strains isolated in Japan belonged to the same genera, except that the genera Acidovorax and Bacillus were not identified in the present study. In particular, the isolated Comamonas testosteroni strains YAZ2 and YU14-111 had high PCB-degrading abilities. Analysis of the sequences of the YAZ2 and YU14-111 strains showed that the gene structures of the bph operon, which encode enzymes associated with PCB degradation, were the same as those of the Acidovorax sp. KKS102 strain. Moreover, 2,3-biphenyl dioxygenase activity was responsible for the degradation characteristics of all the isolated strains. Overall, this study suggests that aerobic PCB-degrading bacteria are not specifically endemic to the Tohoku region but distributed across Japan.

Identification and Characterization of the Detoxification Genes Based on the Transcriptome of Tomicus yunnanensis

Bark beetle, as a trunk borer, has caused a large number of tree deaths and seriously damaged the mountain forest ecosystem. Bark beetles oxidize the secondary metabolites of plants, degrade them, and excrete them from the body or convert them into components needed by the body. This process is completed by the cooperation of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs and occurs in different tissues of the insects, including the gut (i.e., the part where beetle pheromone is produced and accumulated) and antennae (i.e., the olfactory organ used to sense defensive monoterpenes and other plant-related compounds and pheromones in the air). In this study, we identified and characterized three gene superfamilies of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs involved in the detoxification of endobiotics (e.g., hormones and steroids) and xenobiotics (e.g., insecticides, sex pheromones, and plant allelochemicals) through a combination approach of bioinformatics, phylogenetics, and expression profiles. Transcriptome analyses led to the identification of 113 transcripts encoding 51 P450s, 33 GSTs, and 29 CCEs from Tomicus yunnanensis Kirkendall and Faccoli, 2008 (Coleoptera, Scolytinae). The P450s of T. yunnanensis were phylogenetically classified into four clades, representing the majority of the genes in the CYP3 clan. The CCEs from T. yunnanensis were separately grouped into five clades, and the GST superfamily was assigned to five clades. Expression profiles revealed that the detoxification genes were broadly expressed in various tissues as an implication of functional diversities. Our current study has complemented the resources for the detoxification genes in the family Coleoptera and allows for functional experiments to identify candidate molecular targets involved in degrading plants’ secondary metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for insect resistance in mixed forests.

Forest Transformation in the Wake of Colonization: The Quijos Andean Amazonian Flank, Past and Present

Forest transformation modified the Quijos’ ancient mountainscapes in three ways: scientific approximation, entrepreneurial investing, and community engagement. We concentrate the study in the Cumandá Protected Forest reserve as exemplar in the Quijos valley. Our objective is to understand forest transition trends and prospects of sustainability by answering qualitative research questions of impact on cloud forest vegetation from a socioecological standpoint. We used ethnographic work, personal interviews, surveys to the community, and queries to authorities; our qualitative methods included critical discourse analyses, onomastic interpretation, and matrix comparison for ecological legacies, focused on three sectors of the economy that we posit impacted these forests, all indicative of a more competitive, globalized framework: forest tourism, retreating forest frontier, and mining forested watersheds. We found that these sectors also helped alleviate poverty in local communities so that ecotourism, non-traditional forest product harvest, and subsistence mining of water could become stewards, despite the fact that such a nuanced approach has not yet been fully implemented by local governments. We conclude that Hostería Cumandá promotes new conservation narratives in positive ways, since it fuels grassroots organizations to incorporate nature conservation into restoration ecology efforts, provides studies on mountain forest species of concern in the area, generates local employment, and converts a transitory, ephemeral attraction into an international tourism destination.

Influence of Soil Genesis Factors on Gurghiu Mountain Forest Soils’ Physical and Chemical Properties

This research aimed to determine the values of chemical properties and the relationships between the main pedoecological factors that characterize the soils in the Gurghiu Mountains. The mapping surveys were carried out on an area of 4,647.36 ha located in the mixed mountain forest sites (FM2) (1,000–1,400 m altitude). The area was stratified into homogeneous site units in terms of climate, hydricity, and trophicity. At the level of the elementary site units, 35 main soil profiles and 46 control profiles were placed. The number of profiles was determined statistically to ensure an error of no more than 10%. Soil samples collected from the main profiles were analyzed in the laboratory. Soil’s properties values decreased on the soil’s profile (humus content from 15 to 2%, nitrogen from 1.1 to 0.5%, sum of exchangeable hydrogen from 20 to 9 me/100 g soil, and total cationic exchange capacity from 38 to 20 me/100 g soil), except the pH and the base saturation degree (the pH increased on profile from 4.5 to 6, and the base saturation degree from 40 to 70%). The soil properties, except for moisture, were significantly affected by altitude, and decreased when the altitude increased. Soil trophicity can be characterized by a soil index, the values of which were between 17 and 42 for the analyzed soils. These values indicated soil-specific trophicity levels from oligotrophic to eutrophic.

Ecology of Red-Tongue Viper (Gloydius ussuriensis) in Jeju Island, South Korea

Understanding the ecology of species at risk is extremely important for their conservation and management. Due to land clearing for urban expansion, agriculture, and the import of pets, several snake species including the red-tongue viper (Gloydius ussuriensis) on Jeju Island of South Korea, have become threatened. We studied morphology, distribution, habitat characteristics, diet, and reproduction of red-tongue viper to provide a higher understanding of species ecology. This species on average reach 242–580 mm snout-vent length and is found in a wide range of habitat from mountain forest to lowland areas. Adult snakes prey almost entirely on amphibians followed by mammals and centipedes. The mating usually takes place in spring and birth takes place in autumn. This study points out the major threats and ill-information if addressed will not only contribute to the conservation efforts but also improve the negative attitudes that people hold toward these fascinating animals. The ecological data of G. ussuriensis herein provides basic information which assists in designing the management technique for conservation. Similar applications may be generalized and used to other vulnerable species to detect and quantify population ecology and risks, bolstering conservation methods that can be used to optimize the efficacy of conservation measures.

Productivity of mountain bows of the carpathians depending on surface improvement measures

Purpose. To determine the peculiarities of formation of productivity, as well as the chemical composition, nutritional value and energy intensity of grass forage, depending on the measures of surface improvement of the meadows of the Carpathian mountain forest zone. Methods. Field works, laboratory, mathematical-statistical. Results. Productivity of haymaking and perennial mowing fluctuated on the range of 2.15–4.77 t/ha and 1.95–4.11 t/ha during the 3-year research of dry mass yield. Compared to the variants without additional sowing of grasses and fertilizer use, the highest productivity of haymaking was upon the additional sowing of cereal grass mixtures and applying of N60P30K60 – 12 % and 85 %, respectively. Productivity of perennial mowing increased upon the additional sowing of Trifolium repens and applying of P30K60 on 85 % and 111 % respectively. The best uniformity of distribution of biomass crop by slopes was obtained by the use of multifaceted use of creeping clover with the introduction of P30K60, when the proportion of 1st slope was 39%, 2nd - 33 and 3rd – 28% with unevenness, which is expressed by the coefficient variation - 18%. Among the measures of surface improvement on the quality of feed by chemical composition, increasing, first of all, the content of crude protein, influenced by the introduction of N60P30K60 or 15 t / ha of manure, and in the case of multi-grade use - the sowing of clover on the background P30K60. Irrespective of the measures of surface improvement, higher crude protein content, better energy consumption and nutritious nutritional value of feed were characterized by a multi-use (pasture imitation) mode of use than hay. Conclusions. For surface improvement of the meadows of the Carpathian mountain forest belt with natural herbage, the annual application of N60P30K60, or 15 t / ha of manure, or – N60P30K60 + sowing of a mixture of grass meadows and sapwood with sapwood, on the grass meadows, is a factor of increasing their productivity and improving the quality of herbage. use or – P30K60 + clover seeding for high quality use. The best positive effect is the application of mineral fertilizers in combination with sowing of perennial grasses.

Comparative analysis of phytolith spectra of steppe and forest phytocoenoses

The primary research goal is to identify differences and diagnostic features of the phytolith spectra of the steppe and forest phytocoenoses. The paper presents the research results of recent soils from various communities. The authors employ the phytolith analysis method. The isolation of phytoliths from recent soils has been carried out with the help of the maceration method and from plants – the dry ashing method. The authors counted the phytoliths using the Olympus BX-51 light microscope. Additionally, the authors have compiled the spectra using the 2C software. The paper compares the phytolith spectra of plain and mountain steppe phytocoenoses. The comparison reveals that the considered plain communities are more similar in phytolith composition than the mountain ones. The following morphotypes are common for all spectra: low conical rondel particles and psilate ribbed particles. These are the forms that characterize steppe communities. Analysis of phytolith spectra of the mountain forest communities demonstrates that the presence of ribbed particles of psilate is common for all spectra. The common feature of all forest spectra is the presence of psilate symmetrical particles, polylobate trapeziforms, lanceolates (trichomes) with a massive base, and trapeziform bilobate (“Stipa-type”) particles. In the spectra of all pine forests, there is a low content or complete absence of needle phytoliths. Diagnostic features of individual phytocoenoses have not been found. The most significant is the ratio of individual phytolith forms in the phytolith spectrum. The comparative analysis of phytolith spectra of the phytocoenoses in the south of western Siberia is carried out for the first time.