Article
Plant Sciences
Naledi Zama, Kevin Kirkman, Ntuthuko Mkhize, Michelle Tedder, Anathi Magadlela
Summary: Nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment is crucial for grassland ecosystems. However, enriched soils can become highly acidic, leading to decreased availability of phosphorus and negative effects on plant growth. Adding lime to the soil can help alleviate the effects of soil acidification.
Article
Environmental Studies
Martin Delaroche, Francois-Michel Le Tourneau, Marion Daugeard
Summary: The official naming, classification, and identification of vegetation have significant implications for ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. In the Brazilian Amazon, differences in vegetation mapping and interpretation can directly impact the level of protection for private rural properties. This technical ambiguity could lead to increased deforestation or reduced restoration efforts if not addressed.
Article
Agronomy
Zoran Jovovic, Zeljko Dolijanovic, Velibor Spalevic, Branislav Dudic, Novo Przulj, Ana Velimirovic, Vera Popovic
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of liming, organic fertilizers, and six different combinations of mineral fertilizers on potato yield and productivity parameters. Results showed that the combined application of liming, organic, and mineral fertilizers led to the highest values for all studied parameters. Fertilizing with rotted farmyard manure significantly increased potato productivity, especially in treatments with liming.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
R. Hijbeek, M. P. van Loon, W. Ouaret, B. Boekelo, M. K. van Ittersum
Summary: Applying lime can increase maize yields in acidic soils in Western Kenya, but positive economic profits were only observed when combined with fertiliser application. The pay-back period for lime investments is at least two years, and GHG emissions per tonne of grain maize were offset by yield increases.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Waira S. Machida, Leticia Gomes, Pamela Moser, Isabela B. Castro, Sabrina C. Miranda, Manoel C. da Silva-Junior, Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Summary: Research shows that woody vegetation has largely recovered eight years after one fire event, while the vegetation structure remains relatively stable after two consecutive fire events over eight years, with growth only seen after 14 years without fire.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Alexander Storm, Mary Beth Adams, Jamie Schuler
Summary: A long-term acidification experiment in the central Appalachian region using ammonium sulfate and lime treatments showed varying growth responses among different tree species, with a maximum 5% difference in total stand volume after 40 years.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carolina Musso, Hudson G. Fontenele, Gloria Pinto, Rhaul Oliveira, Carlos Correia, Jose M. Moutinho-Pereira, Amadeu M. V. M. Soares, Susana Loureiro
Summary: The study found that invasive species perform better under conditions of water and nutrient scarcity, especially when the soil is rich in nutrients. However, native species would perform similarly under conditions of low water and nutrient availability. Further research indicates that invasive species utilize nutrients and water more efficiently, showing a weaker oxidative response to drought and fertilization.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ary Bruand, Adriana Reatto, Michel Brossard, Pascal Jouquet, Eder de Souza Martins
Summary: This article examines the common red and yellow soils in the tropics, known as Ferralsols, which have high physical fertility due to their deeply weathered nature and strong microgranular structure of debated origin. The study finds evidence of the biological origin of the structure through the activity of social insects, including the presence of long-term termite activity markers such as 2:1 clays. This highlights the threat to the physical fertility of these soils and the broader impact on the water cycle in tropical regions if intensive agriculture reduces soil fauna biodiversity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Cinthia Prates Moreira, Simone Cristina Braga Bertini, Adao Siqueira Ferreira, Lucas Carvalho Basilio Azevedo
Summary: The Cerrado, the second largest Brazilian biome, is under threat from deforestation and land degradation. Vereda soils in this biome show the highest levels of soil biological attributes, while semi-deciduous dry forest and Cerrado have intermediate and lowest values, respectively. Soil microbial and biochemical attributes are better correlated with soil physicochemical attributes rather than vegetation type.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Judith Schellekens, Marina Justi, Rodrigo Macedo, Marcia Regina Calegari, Peter Buurman, Thomas W. Kuyper, Plinio Barbosa de Camargo, Pablo Vidal-Torrado
Summary: The objective of this study was to enhance understanding of soil organic matter (SOM) stability in the Brazilian Cerrado by investigating soil properties and the interactions of biotic, climatic, and edaphic factors at the ecosystem scale. Three soil profiles in the same geomorphological unit with different total organic carbon (TOC) content were examined. The results showed that long-term carbon storage in Brazilian Cerrado soils was influenced by wildfires, bioturbation, and local edaphic controls on tree-grass composition. Soils with a thick A-horizon rich in organic matter had more trees, more charcoal, and higher levels of soil macrofauna activity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rana Roy, Shirin Sultana, Jinxin Wang, Mohammad Golam Mostofa, Tanwne Sarker, M. Mostafizur Rahman Shah, Md. Shakhawat Hossain
Summary: The ecological restoration of coal mine degraded soils in arid and semi-arid environments remains challenging. Through a combination of greenhouse and field experiments, we found that optimal growth performance of Ulmus pumila can be achieved with moderate-to-highest water-nitrogen-phosphorus doses, with high water and low nitrogen-phosphorus combinations leading to the best results in field conditions. Increasing nitrogen-phosphorus doses under water shortage conditions helped U. pumila enhance osmotic adjustments and reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde content.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joao E. A. Davi, Bruna K. A. Nogueira, Leticia R. Gasques, Andressa S. Dalla Cort, Tatiane A. de Camargo, Leandro P. Pacheco, Laercio S. Silva, Edicarlos D. de Souza
Summary: Research shows that increasing functional diversity is an effective method to improve soybean cropping in sandy soils of the Brazilian Cerrado. High functional diversity in the system enhances soil microbiological activity, macronutrient accumulation and release, leading to higher soybean yield.
JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Marina Correa Scalon, Imma Oliveras Menor, Renata Freitag, Karine S. Peixoto, Sami W. Rifai, Beatriz Schwantes Marimon, Ben Hur Marimon Junior, Yadvinder Malhi
Summary: The study compared nutrient use and allocation strategies in neotropical savanna and transitional forest tree communities. It found similar nutrient concentrations and resorption efficiency in species from the two vegetation communities, but differences in wood phosphorus concentration and canopy net primary productivity.
Article
Soil Science
Debarup Das, B. S. Dwivedi, S. P. Datta, S. C. Datta, M. C. Meena, Anil K. Dwivedi, Muneshwar Singh, D. Chakraborty, Seema Jaggi
Summary: The study revealed that potassium fertilization has long been neglected compared with nitrogen and phosphorus in Indian agriculture, leading to mining of soil potassium. Long-term fertilization had different impacts on the potassium supplying ability of soils, emphasizing the need for refinement of potassium fertilizer recommendations to minimize native potassium mining and sustain soil potassium supplying ability.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alma Heckenroth, Pascale Prudent, Helene Folzer, Jacques Rabier, Steven Criquet, Arne Saatkamp, Marie-Dominique Salducci, Laurent Vassalo, Isabelle Laffont-Schwob
Summary: Soil contamination caused by industrial activities can lead to decreased concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) with increasing depth, and the spatial heterogeneity of soil contamination can significantly impact soil properties and ecological communities. In this study, the effects of surface and subsurface soil contamination heterogeneity on the functional traits of Coronilla juncea L. (Fabaceae) were evaluated. The results showed that PTE concentrations in the roots of C. juncea were higher than those in its aerial parts, indicating that this native plant species may play a role in the phytostabilization and ecological restoration of Mediterranean soils contaminated with PTE.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eder Alves Barbosa, Gabriel Sergio Costa Alves, Marcelo de Melo Andrade Coura, Higor de Lima e Silva, Filipe Souza da Rocha, Joao Bueno Nunes, Matheus de Souza Watanabe, Alan Carvalho Andrade, Guilherme Dotto Brand
Summary: The presence of oligosaccharides in the skin secretions of amphibians, specifically Pithecopus azureus and Boana raniceps, was investigated. The diversity of N- and O-linked oligosaccharides and the enzymes responsible for glycan synthesis pathways were analyzed. The results suggest that the diversity of oligosaccharides in amphibian skin secretions is species-specific, providing new perspectives on amphibian evolution and ecology.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Raquel L. Silva, Thiago R. B. Mello, Joao Paulo B. Souza, Lorena C. Albernaz, Natalia M. G. Magalhaes, Lais S. Morais, Larissa R. Francisco, Walter S. Leal, Laila S. Espindola
Summary: The study found that essential oils extracted from Brazilian Cerrado plants showed larvicidal and adulticidal activity against Aedes aegypti, as well as repellent effects on both Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Julianna Peixoto, Carla Vizzotto, Alexandre Ramos, Gabriel Alves, Andrei Steindorff, Ricardo Kruger
Summary: Polyethylene accumulation in natural environments poses a severe threat to wildlife and human health. This study uncovers the importance of nitrogen metabolism in the biodegradation of polyethylene, providing a new sustainable solution for its remediation.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Mycology
Francisco J. Simoes Calaca, Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Summary: The study found that the vegetation types of the Brazilian Cerrado have an important impact on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities, and there are differences in AMF communities among different vegetation types. The seasonal distribution of precipitation and soil physicochemical parameters also have an impact on the variation of AMF communities. The study also showed that, except for woody plant biomass, other vegetation parameters are not significantly correlated with AMF spore density in any season.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nubia C. S. Marques, Ricardo B. Machado, Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar, Luciana Mendonca-Galvao, Rosana Tidon, Emerson M. Vieira, Onildo J. Marini-Filho, Mercedes Bustamante
Summary: Protected areas are important tools for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, but megadiverse countries face challenges in managing and expanding these areas due to increasing human pressures. The Brazilian Cerrado biome, a biodiversity hotspot, has a small percentage of its land area under strict protections. The Brazilian Long-Term Ecological Research Program monitors long-term changes in protected and non-protected areas in Brazilian biomes. The findings reveal that even within a protected area, changes in the surrounding landscape can impact biodiversity and ecosystem functions, emphasizing the importance of continuous monitoring for conservation.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jessica Schuler, Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Summary: The Brazilian Cerrado, a biodiverse savanna with great importance for water and carbon conservation, is facing the impacts of land conversion and conflicts with agriculture. By modeling and prioritizing restoration scenarios, we can gain a better understanding of the trade-offs and conflicts involved, which can guide public policies and large-scale restoration projects.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ariane A. Rodrigues, Marcia N. Macedo, Divino Silverio, Leandro Maracahipes, Michael T. Coe, Paulo M. Brando, Julia Z. Shimbo, Raoni Rajao, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Summary: The Brazilian Cerrado, one of the most biodiverse savannas, has experienced extensive land-use transitions, resulting in reduced evapotranspiration and increased land surface temperature. Forest clearance for cropland or pasture has led to significant increases in land surface temperature and reductions in evapotranspiration. Transitioning from woody savannas to cropland or pasture also has similar effects but to a lesser extent. On the other hand, converting native grasslands to cropland or pasture has limited impact on land surface temperature but reduces evapotranspiration. Overall, these land changes have negatively impacted the water cycle and increased average land surface temperature in the Cerrado biome.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Carolina Andrade, Gabriel Sergio Costa Alves, Pedro Ribeiro Fontes, Robert Neil Gerard Miller, Edivaldo Ximenes Ferreira Filho
Summary: This study evaluated the potential of using agro-industrial coffee residues as substrates to induce the production of holocellulolytic enzymes by Paecilomyces formosus. The appropriate pretreatment and cultivation conditions for enzyme activity induction were determined using response surface analysis. Low-severity pretreatment and milder cultivation conditions were found to be optimal for pectinase production.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Fernando Campos de Assis Fonseca, Jose Dijair Antonino, Stefanie Menezes de Moura, Paolo Lucas Rodrigues-Silva, Leonardo Lima Pepino Macedo, Jose Edilson Gomes Junior, Isabela Tristan Lourenco-Tessuti, Wagner Alexandre Lucena, Carolina Viana Morgante, Thuanne Pires Ribeiro, Rose Gomes Monnerat, Magali Aparecida Rodrigues, Iolanda Midea Cuccovia, Maria Cristina Mattar Silva, Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa
Summary: In this study, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry toxins were screened for their activity against the sugarcane giant borer, Telchin licus licus. Cry1A (a, b, and c) and Cry2Aa showed high toxicity against the larvae of this insect, with Cry1Ac being the most potent. Molecular dynamics and docking analyses provided insights into the potential interactions between Cry1Ac and aminopeptidase N (APN) receptors. These findings contribute to the development of transgenic sugarcane plants resistant to this important agricultural pest.
BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ubirajara Oliveira, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Hermann Rodrigues, Danilo Figueira, Leticia Gomes, William Leles, Christian Berlinck, Fabiano Morelli, Mercedes Bustamante, Jean Ometto, Heloisa Miranda
Summary: Wildfires are worsening due to climate change, requiring territorial intelligence in public policies for prevention and control, especially in vast regions like Brazil. A fire-spread prediction system has been developed for the Brazilian Cerrado, the biome most affected by wildfires in South America, which calculates maps of fuels loads, vegetation moisture, and probability of burning to simulate fire spread multiple times a day. The model achieves a spatial match of 65-89% and is accompanied by ancillary data on an interactive web-platform, which serves as a tool for fire prevention and fight in selected conservation units.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Erica Cristina Silva Rego, Tatiana David Miranda Pinheiro, Fernando Campos de Assis Fonseca, Taisa Godoy Gomes, Erica de Castro Costa, Lucas Santos Bastos, Gabriel Sergio Costa Alves, Michelle Guitton Cotta, Edson Perito Amorim, Claudia Fortes Ferreira, Roberto Coiti Togawa, Marcos Mota Do Carmo Costa, Priscila Grynberg, Robert Neil Gerard Miller
Summary: Endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate diverse cellular processes, including defense responses to biotic stresses. In this study, small RNA libraries derived from banana leaf material were sequenced to identify 202 conserved miRNAs and 24 predicted novel miRNAs. GO analysis revealed the involvement of miRNA target genes in defense-related molecular activities and biological processes. The study also validated the expression patterns of miRNAs and target genes using qRT-PCR and identified a negative correlation between miRNA expression and target host gene expression.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Buchadas, Martin Jung, Mercedes Bustamante, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Stephen T. T. Garnett, Ana Sofia Nanni, Natasha Ribeiro, Patrick Meyfroidt, Tobias Kuemmerle
Summary: Tropical and subtropical dry woodlands are facing high deforestation pressure despite their rich biodiversity and carbon storage. This study explores the relationship between deforestation dynamics, woodland protection, and conservation priorities in these regions. The findings reveal that global conservation priorities are overrepresented in tropical dry woodlands compared to other areas, and deforestation frontiers disproportionately impact areas with important regional conservation assets. Understanding how deforestation frontiers coincide with different types of woodland protection can inform targeted conservation policies and interventions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Maria A. Martin, Emmanuel A. Boakye, Emily Boyd, Wendy Broadgate, Mercedes Bustamante, Josep G. Canadell, Edward R. Carr, Eric K. Chu, Helen Cleugh, Szilvia Csevar, Marwa Daoudy, Ariane de Bremond, Meghnath Dhimal, Kristie L. Ebi, Clea Edwards, Sabine Fuss, Martin P. Girardin, Bruce Glavovic, Sophie Hebden, Marina Hirota, Huang-Hsiung Hsu, Saleemul Huq, Karin Ingold, Ola M. Johannessen, Yasuko Kameyama, Nilushi Kumarasinghe, Gaby S. Langendijk, Tabea Lissner, Shuaib Lwasa, Catherine Machalaba, Aaron Maltais, Manu Mathai, Cheikh Mbow, Karen E. McNamara, Aditi Mukherji, Virginia Murray, Jaroslav Mysiak, Chukwumerije Okereke, Daniel Ospina, Friederike Otto, Anjal Prakash, Juan M. Pulhin, Emmanuel Raju, Aaron Redman, Kanta K. Rigaud, Johan Rockstrom, Joyashree Roy, E. Lisa F. Schipper, Peter Schlosser, Karsten A. Schulz, Kim Schumacher, Luana Schwarz, Murray Scown, Barbora Sedova, Tasneem A. Siddiqui, Chandni Singh, Giles B. Sioen, Detlef Stammer, Norman J. Steinert, Sunhee Suk, Rowan Sutton, Lisa Thalheimer, Maarten van Aalst, Kees van der Geest, Zhirong Jerry Zhao
Summary: This article summarizes the most important findings in climate change research over the past year, including limits to adaptation, vulnerability hotspots, new threats from the climate-health nexus, climate (im)mobility and security, sustainable practices for land use and finance, losses and damages, inclusive societal climate decisions, and ways to overcome structural barriers to accelerate mitigation and limit global warming to below 2 degrees C.
GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rodrigo de Freitas Bueno, Ieda Carolina Mantovani Claro, Matheus Ribeiro Augusto, Adriana Feliciano Alves Duran, Livia de Moraes Bomediano Camillo, Aline Diniz Cabral, Fernando Fabriz Sodre, Cristina Celia Silveira Brandao, Carla Simone Vizzotto, Rafaella Silveira, Geovana de Melo Mendes, Andrea Fernandes Arruda, Nubia Natalia de Brito, Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado, Gabriela Rodrigues Mendes Duarte, Maria de Lourdes Aguiar-Oliveira
Summary: Developed countries have actively shared wastewater surveillance information during the COVID-19 pandemic, while low- and middle-income countries have shown limited activities in this area. This study highlights the relevance of a multiparty effort and demonstrates the usefulness of wastewater surveillance in viral monitoring, particularly in identifying hotspot areas and tracking asymptomatic individuals. It emphasizes the need for improved collaboration and utilization of wastewater-based epidemiology methodology.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
