Article
Ecology
Sergio Diez-Hermano, Farooq Ahmad, Jonatan Nino-Sanchez, Alvaro Benito, Elena Hidalgo, Laura Morejon Escudero, Wilson Acosta Morel, Julio Javier Diez
Summary: This study describes and compares the fungal communities of declined and healthy specimens of keystone Mediterranean tree species, revealing differential abundance of certain genera between healthy and declined samples. The study emphasizes the importance of Mediterranean forests as biodiversity refuges and highlights the value of above-ground tissues as a valid approach to assess shifts in forests' microbiome diversity.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sergio Diez-Hermano, Jorge Poveda, Jonatan Nino-Sanchez, Irene Teresa Bocos-Asenjo, Alvaro Peix, Pablo Martin-Pinto, Julio Javier Diez
Summary: Forests in the Mediterranean basin are declining due to climate change and anthropogenic impacts, making them vulnerable to drought, fire, pests, and diseases. The soil fungal community plays a key role in the health of these forests.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Maria Socorro Serrano, Francisco Jose Perez, Lorena Gomez-Aparicio
Summary: The study investigated the interactive effects of climate change and pathogen infection on Mediterranean mixed oak forests. Results showed that the impact of the pathogen was more significant than climate factors, with some tree species exhibiting resistance to multiple stressors. Overall, the adaptability of the pathogen to changing climatic conditions in the region was highlighted.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jennifer A. Drummond, Eric R. Larson, Yiyuan Li, David M. Lodge, Crysta A. Gantz, Michael E. Pfrender, Mark A. Renshaw, Adrienne M. S. Correa, Scott P. Egan
Summary: Study using eDNA analysis in small temperate lakes to explore plant communities reveals that plant eDNA is more evenly distributed than its generating organisms, with the highest taxon richness found in algae and other non-vascular plants.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Michael Tangherlini, Cinzia Corinaldesi, Francesca Ape, Silvestro Greco, Teresa Romeo, Franco Andaloro, Roberto Danovaro
Summary: This study compared benthic microbial responses at naturally acidified sites with different acidification sources and pH values. It found that viral life strategies shift in acidified conditions, leading to reduced impact on prokaryotic communities and a shift towards (chemo)autotrophic assemblages with lower organic matter consumption. Overall, ocean acidification exerts significant control on microbial benthic assemblages, with important feedbacks on ecosystem functioning.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wen Song, Huixin Jiao, Juan Yang, Danxu Tang, Tingting Ye, Lu Li, Lei Yang, Lifang Li, Weibo Song, Saleh A. Al-Farraj, Hunter N. Hines, Weiwei Liu, Xiao Chen
Summary: This study provides an updated hypothesis for the evolutionary history of oligotrichs and choreotrichs based on new evidence obtained by expanding sampling of molecular information across multiple gene loci. The results reveal consistency between morphological taxonomy and an updated phylogenetic system for these two subclasses of marine planktonic ciliates.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anastasia A. Krinitsina, Denis O. Omelchenko, Artem S. Kasianov, Vera S. Karaseva, Yulia M. Selezneva, Olga V. Chesnokova, Vitaly A. Shirobokov, Svetlana V. Polevova, Elena E. Severova
Summary: Grass pollen is a major cause of allergies, affecting 10-30% of the global population. Aerobiological monitoring allows for tracking and predicting allergen concentrations in the air. This study used high-throughput sequencing data to analyze the composition changes in grass pollen samples from Moscow and Ryazan regions over three years. The results showed that metabarcoding analysis detected a greater number of taxa compared to phenological observations, and semi-quantitative analysis reflected the abundance of major grass species during flowering.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giorgio Aglieri, Federico Quattrocchi, Stefano Mariani, Charles Baillie, Davide Spatafora, Antonio Di Franco, Gabriele Turco, Marco Tolone, Rosalia Di Gerlando, Marco Milazzo
Summary: By combining eDNA surveys, public registers, and Automatic Identification Systems data, we found significant positive relationships between fishing fleet activities and the taxonomic fish assemblage composition in eleven Mediterranean fishing ports. We identified 160 fish and 123 invertebrate OTUs, including non-indigenous species, suggesting that eDNA assessments of fishing harbours' waters can rapidly monitor marine biodiversity and reconstruct underreported fishing catches.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mingzhen Ma, Yuqing Li, Xyrus X. Maurer-Alcala, Yurui Wang, Ying Yan
Summary: This study revealed the phylogenetic relationships within Karyorelictea by analyzing multiple genes and established a new taxonomic unit at the order level. The results also revealed common features and evolutionary history among different species.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Manuela Rodriguez-Romero, Belen Godoy-Cancho, Isabel M. Calha, Jose Antonio Passarinho, Ana Cristina Moreira
Summary: The study evaluated the inhibitory effects of herbaceous plants on a pathogen population, analyzed the inhibitory capacity of aqueous root extracts on pathogen growth, and assessed the defense response of Quercus seedlings to the pathogen in the presence of different plant species.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Marta C. Gomez-Buckley, Ramon Gallego, Vanessa Arranz, Tuikolongahau Halafihi, Karen Stone, Mark Erdmann, Luke M. Tornabene
Summary: Comparing eDNA sequences from water samples with anesthetic stations, it was found that eDNA sampling cannot effectively characterize the community composition of cryptobenthic reef fishes (CRF) due to their low biomass, low detectable DNA abundance in eDNA samples, large number of non-targeted metazoan reads drowning the detections of CRF sequences, and lack of complete taxonomic information in public databases representing CRF's high level of endemism.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pablo Martin-Pinto, Ignacio Sanz-Benito, Maria Santos, Juan Andres Oria-de-Rueda, Jozsef Geml
Summary: Quercus pyrenaica-dominated forests are widespread in Mediterranean ecosystems, with coppice systems generating high biomass and high fire risk, while dehesas have low tree density and face regeneration issues. Soil fungal communities varied among different forest types and were influenced by land management practices, impacting the diversity of edible mushrooms.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Carla Pinheiro, Teresa S. David, Paula Baptista, Leonor Guerra-Guimaraes
Summary: The Mediterranean region is a climate change hotspot, with significant impacts on the sustainability, biodiversity, and productivity of agroecosystems. Adaptation and changes in management strategies are crucial to minimize the risks and maintain economic viability.
Article
Fisheries
Iole Di Capua, Roberta Piredda, Maria Grazia Mazzocchi, Adriana Zingone
Summary: Metabarcoding of environmental DNA provided insights into the diversity and seasonal patterns of metazoan assemblages at the Long-Term Ecological Research site MareChiara in the Gulf of Naples, revealing copepods and annelids as dominant taxa, with implications for the importance of DNA metabarcoding in LTER sites.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kara J. Andres, David M. Lodge, Jose Andres
Summary: Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling is a powerful and efficient approach for collecting information about species, and it may also provide information about population-level genetic variability. In this study, the researchers used eDNA sampling to estimate the genetic diversity and structure of an invasive fish species in the Great Lakes region. The study found that the genetic patterns observed from eDNA analysis were consistent with conventional tissue-based estimates. This research highlights the potential for eDNA sampling to reveal detailed population characteristics that can inform monitoring and management plans for difficult-to-sample species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Mycology
P. W. Crous, M. J. Wingfield, Y. -H. Chooi, C. L. M. Gilchrist, E. Lacey, J. I. Pitt, F. Roets, W. J. Swart, J. F. Cano-Lira, N. Valenzuela-Lopez, V. Hubka, R. G. Shivas, A. M. Stchigel, D. G. Holdom, Z. Jurjevic, A. V. Kachalkin, T. Lebel, C. Lock, M. P. Martin, Y. P. Tan, M. A. Tomashevskaya, J. S. Vitelli, I. G. Baseia, V. K. Bhatt, T. E. Brandrud, J. T. De Souza, B. Dima, H. J. Lacey, L. Lombard, P. R. Johnston, A. Morte, V. Papp, A. Rodriguez, E. Rodriguez-Andrade, K. C. Semwal, L. Tegart, Z. G. Abad, A. Akulov, P. Alvarado, A. Alves, J. P. Andrade, F. Arenas, C. Asenjo, J. Ballara, M. D. Barrett, L. M. Berna, A. Berraf-Tebbal, M. V. Bianchinotti, K. Bransgrove, T. I. Burgess, F. S. Carmo, R. Chavez, A. Cmokova, J. D. W. Dearnaley, A. L. C. M. de A. Santiago, J. F. Freitas-Neto, S. Denman, B. Douglas, F. Dovana, A. Eichmeier, F. Esteve-Raventos, A. Farid, A. G. Fedosova, G. Ferisin, R. J. Ferreira, A. Ferrer, C. N. Figueiredo, Y. F. Figueiredo, C. G. Reinoso-Fuentealba, I. Garrido-Benavent, C. F. Canete-Gibas, C. Gil-Duran, A. M. Glushakova, M. F. M. Goncalves, M. Gonzalez, M. Gorczak, C. Gorton, F. E. Guard, A. L. Guarnizo, J. Guarro, M. Gutierrez, P. Hamal, L. T. Hien, A. D. Hocking, J. Houbraken, G. C. Hunter, C. A. Inacio, M. Jourdan, V. I. Kapitonov, L. Kelly, T. N. Khanh, K. Kislo, L. Kiss, A. Kiyashko, M. Kolarik, J. Kruse, A. Kubatova, V. Kucera, I. Kucerova, I. Kusan, H. B. Lee, G. Levican, A. Lewis, N. V. Liem, K. Liimatainen, H. J. Lim, M. N. Lyons, J. G. Macia-Vicente, V. Magana-Duenas, R. Mahiques, E. F. Malysheva, P. A. S. Marbach, P. Marinho, N. Matocec, A. R. McTaggart, A. Mesic, L. Morin, J. M. Munoz-Mohedano, A. Navarro-Rodenas, C. P. Nicolli, R. L. Oliveira, E. Otsing, C. L. Ovrebo, T. A. Pankratov, A. Panos, A. Paz-Conde, A. Perez-Sierra, C. Phosri, A. Pintos, A. Posta, S. Prencipe, E. Rubio, A. Saitta, L. S. Sales, L. Sanhueza, L. A. Shuttleworth, J. Smith, M. E. Smith, D. Spadaro, M. Spetik, M. Sochor, Z. Sochorova, J. O. Sousa, N. Suwannasai, L. Tedersoo, H. M. Thanh, L. D. Thao, Z. Tkalcec, N. Vaghefi, A. S. Venzhik, A. Verbeken, A. Vizzini, S. Voyron, M. Wainhouse, A. J. S. Whalley, M. Wrzosek, M. Zapata, I. Zeil-Rolfe, J. Z. Groenewald
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Louise J. Barwell, Ana Perez-Sierra, Beatrice Henricot, Anna Harris, Treena I. Burgess, Giles Hardy, Peter Scott, Nari Williams, David E. L. Cooke, Sarah Green, Daniel S. Chapman, Bethan V. Purse
Summary: Plant pathogens are increasingly introduced to new geographical regions due to global connectivity, and predicting their threat can be challenging without deep knowledge of their behavior, distribution, and spread. This study assesses the potential of using biological traits and phylogeny to predict global threats from emerging pathogens, finding that traits, phylogeny, and time since description play significant roles in explaining and predicting their international transport, maximum latitude, and host breadth. Root-attacking species are more widely distributed and attack more host plant families than foliar-attacking species, while host generalist pathogens have certain traits that contribute to their success in various environments. More accurate interspecific data are needed to confirm findings related to cold-tolerant species. The study suggests the development of international collaborations to create centralized databases for pathogen distributions, traits, and phylogeny to support horizon-scanning approaches for identifying potential global threats from pathogens like Phytophthora species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Blanca B. Landa, Luis F. Arias-Giraldo, Beatrice Henricot, Miguel Montes-Borrego, Lucas A. Shuttleworth, Ana Perez-Sierra
Summary: Research has shown the presence of various Phytophthora species in different sites in the UK, some of which are significant pathogens threatening forest trees. These species are more commonly found in disturbed sites. Further investigation is needed to determine if these Phytophthora species pose a threat to British trees and to develop appropriate control measures.
Article
Plant Sciences
Margarita Elvira-Recuenco, Valentin Pando, Monica Berbegal, Aranzazu Manzano Munoz, Eugenia Iturritxa, Rosa Raposo
Summary: This study quantified pathogenic traits of Spanish isolates of F. circinatum, with the most dominant haplotype causing more severe disease at higher temperatures, and longer moisture periods during infection resulting in more severe disease regardless of isolate virulence.
Article
Microbiology
Thomas Jung, Marilia Horta Jung, Joan F. Webber, Koji Kageyama, Ayaka Hieno, Hayato Masuya, Seiji Uematsu, Ana Perez-Sierra, Anna R. Harris, Jack Forster, Helen Rees, Bruno Scanu, Sneha Patra, Tomas Kudlacek, Josef Janousek, Tamara Corcobado, Ivan Milenkovic, Zoltan Nagy, Ildiko Csorba, Jozsef Bakonyi, Clive M. Brasier
Summary: The study reveals that the introduced pathogen Phytophthora ramorum has caused devastating tree disease epidemics globally, with high levels of diversity found in Vietnamese and Japanese isolates. Additionally, there is close genetic relationship between the Asian lineages and those in Europe and North America, as well as potential for recombination between different mating types.
Article
Biology
Maela Leon, Monica Berbegal, Paloma Abad-Campos, Antonio Ramon-Albalat, Tito Caffi, Vittorio Rossi, Gultakin Hasanaliyeva, Pierre Antoine Noceto, Daniel Wipf, Sasa Sirca, Jaka Razinger, Anne-Laure Fragniere, Patrik Kehrli, Aurora Ranca, Anamaria Petrescu, Josep Armengol
Summary: The study found that black-foot disease-associated fungi can be present on the roots of cover crops grown in organic vineyards, potentially increasing inoculum levels in vineyard soils. Results showed that various fungal species related to black-foot disease were found on cover crops in several European countries.
Article
Agronomy
Pedro Romon-Ochoa, Jelena Kranjec Orlovic, Caroline Gorton, Alex Lewis, Sietse Linde, Ana Perez-Sierra
Summary: Cryphonectria parasitica was first detected in the United Kingdom in 2011. The 2019-2020 survey revealed new findings and additional infected sites in the UK, with a total of 12 different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) identified, including some that had not been previously recorded in the UK. The survey also showed variations in disease spread between different regions, possibly due to imported timber from different areas. Importantly, no perithecia of C. parasitica were observed at any site during this survey.
Article
Forestry
Sarah Green, David E. L. Cooke, Mike Dunn, Louise Barwell, Bethan Purse, Daniel S. Chapman, Gregory Valatin, Alexandra Schlenzig, Jane Barbrook, Tim Pettitt, Colin Price, Ana Perez-Sierra, Debra Frederickson-Matika, Leighton Pritchard, Peter Thorpe, Peter J. A. Cock, Eva Randall, Beatrix Keillor, Mariella Marzano
Summary: The 'Phyto-threats' project in the UK investigated the spread of Phytophthora through nursery and trade practices, identifying 63 different species with risk related to management practices and trade pathways. Global analysis revealed traits that explain spread and host range, while workshops showed increasing stakeholder interest in nursery accreditation. Introduction of best practice in nurseries could bring substantial net benefits to society.
Article
Plant Sciences
Charis K. Ramsing, David Gramaje, Sara Mocholi, Javier Agusti, Felix Cabello Saenz de Santa Maria, Josep Armengol, Monica Berbegal
Summary: This study identified a link between the wood characteristics of grape rootstocks and tolerance to Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium minimum, highlighting the potential for informing cultivar choice and future breeding practices. Results showed significant differences in xylem traits and DNA concentration for both pathogens among tested rootstocks, further emphasizing the importance of understanding the relationship between vasculature development and pathogen tolerance to mitigate the impact of fungal grapevine trunk diseases worldwide.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ana Aragones, Tania Manzanos, Glen Stanosz, Isabel A. Munck, Rosa Raposo, Margarita Elvira-Recuenco, Monica Berbegal, Nebai Mesanza, Denise R. Smith, Michael Simmons, Stephen Wyka, Eugenia Iturritxa
Summary: Diplodia tip blight is a common and severe disease in Spanish Pinus radiata plantations, requiring management designs tailored to different regions. Diplodia sapinea was found to be the most frequent species in plantations in northern Spain, demonstrating high genetic diversity. The intensity of sampling and sample type may influence genetic diversity levels.
Article
Microbiology
Beatriz Mora-Sala, Maela Leon, Ana Perez-Sierra, Paloma Abad-Campos
Summary: The plant nursery industry has become an ideal reservoir for Phytophthora species and other soilborne pathogens, and a high diversity of Phytophthora species was confirmed in nurseries in Spain. Fourteen Phytophthora phylotypes were isolated from over 500 plant samples of various species, and nine species were detected in water sources.
Article
Microbiology
Angela Brunetti, Kurt Heungens, Jacqueline Hubert, Renaud Ioos, Gian Luca Bianchi, Francesca De Amicis, Anne Chandelier, Sietse Van der Linde, Ana Perez-Sierra, Valeria Gualandri, Maria Rosaria Silletti, Vito Nicola Trisciuzzi, Silvia Rimondi, Tiziana Baschieri, Elio Romano, Valentina Lumia, Marta Luigi, Francesco Faggioli, Massimo Pilotti
Summary: This article describes a Real-Time PCR detection method for Ceratocystis platani, a lethal vascular disease agent of Platanus species. The method was validated in nine European laboratories and showed excellent performance parameters, making it a valuable tool for monitoring the spread of C. platani and investigating the resistance level of Platanus genotypes.
Article
Virology
Pedro Romon-Ochoa, Jack Forster, Ruth Chitty, Caroline Gorton, Alex Lewis, Amy Eacock, Quirin Kupper, Daniel Rigling, Ana Perez-Sierra
Summary: Biological control of chestnut blight using virus infection (hypovirulence) has been effective in Europe and parts of North America. In this study, two strains of CHV-1 virus showed great biocontrol potential and could convert virulent cankers to hypovirulent ones. Additionally, a newly developed real-time PCR method was introduced to detect and quantify CHV-1 virus.
Article
Virology
Pedro Romon-Ochoa, Olivia Smith, Alex Lewis, Quirin Kupper, Wajeeha Shamsi, Daniel Rigling, Ana Perez-Sierra, Lisa Ward
Summary: Biological control of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, using virus infection (hypovirulence) has been successfully implemented in Europe and parts of North America. This study investigated the effects of temperature on Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1) within highly infected British isolates. The results showed that the presence of the virus had a negative effect on the growth rate of C. parasitica between 20 and 25°C, with temperature playing a significant role in virus accumulation.
Article
Microbiology
Pedro Romon-Ochoa, Pankajini Samal, Caroline Gorton, Alex Lewis, Ruth Chitty, Amy Eacock, Elzbieta Krzywinska, Michael Crampton, Ana Perez-Sierra, Mick Biddle, Ben Jones, Lisa Ward
Summary: This study reports on the occurrence of Cryphonectria parasitica in various locations in England, including its spread in different areas, the identification of different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) and mating types, and the detection of a specific subtype of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1).
