Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jay T. Lennon, Frank den Hollander, Maite Wilke-Berenguer, Jochen Blath
Summary: Populations across the tree of life have evolved the ability to contend with suboptimal conditions through dormancy, entering a reversible state of reduced metabolic activity to form complex seed banks storing information and imparting memory that give rise to multi-scale structures and networks in ecosystems. Dormancy not only exists among diverse taxa but is also found in stem cells, brains, and tumors.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Amalia Valeria Ibanez Moro, Fabian Borghetti, Leonardo Galetto, Juan M. Cellini, Sandra J. Bravo
Summary: This study evaluated the size and persistence of soil seed banks (SSB) of six native woody species in dry subtropical forests of the western Argentine Chaco region. The results showed that SSB size was influenced by different sites and sampling years, and forest disturbances had varying effects on SSB.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Christie A. Klimas, Lucia Helena de Oliveira Wadt, Carolina Volkmer de Castilho, Ana Claudia Lira-Guedes, Patricia da Costa, Fernanda Lopes da Fonseca
Summary: This study focused on masting of the economically important tropical tree Carapa guianensis Aublet, and found that increasing the diameter at breast height had a positive effect on seed production. The research also suggested that ecosystems and climate cues might jointly influence seed production.
Article
Forestry
Jakelyne S. Bezerra, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Juan Manuel Dupuy-Rada, Inara R. Leal, Marcelo Tabarelli
Summary: Agricultural activities, such as slash-and-burn farming, pose a threat to the recovery potential of forests in human-modified landscapes. This is due to the disruption of critical sources of forest regeneration, including seed rain. The hypothesis that slash-and-burn agriculture promotes seed source and seed dispersal limitation remains poorly tested.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jakelyne S. Bezerra, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Jonathan M. Tavares, Mauro G. Santos, Jorge A. Meave, Inara R. Leal, Marcelo Tabarelli
Summary: Seed rain is crucial for forest recovery, but seed viability has been overlooked in most studies. The study found that seed viability was higher in burned plots than in control plots, which may be attributed to the functional traits of the seeds.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Finn Rehling, Jan Schlautmann, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Dana G. Schabo, Nina Farwig
Summary: Forest degradation has negative impacts on seed dispersal and plant regeneration, reducing the quality and quantity of seeds and threatening biodiversity in forests.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Jakelyne S. Bezerra, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Jonathan M. Tavares, Adrielle Leal, Inara R. Leal, Marcelo Tabarelli
Summary: Forest ecosystems are threatened by unsustainable agricultural practices, such as slash-and-burn agriculture, which can negatively impact the soil seed bank and limit forest resilience. A study in a tropical dry forest in Brazil showed that fire from slash-and-burn agriculture decreased seed viability, diversity, and composition, leading to homogenization of seed assemblages. This highlights the low resistance of the soil seed bank to this farming method, suggesting that other processes like seed dispersal and resprouting are crucial for the recovery of species-rich tropical forests exposed to slash-and-burn agriculture.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alexandre Souza de Paula, Julia Caram Sfair, Diego Pires Ferraz Trindade, Katia Fernanda Rito, Marcelo Tabarelli, Maria Fabiola Barros
Summary: This study aims to understand the relative contribution and drivers of seed rain and soil seed banks for forest regeneration in the Caatinga dry forest in northeastern Brazil. The results show that seed rain and soil seed banks only capture 40% of the woody regional flora, indicating limited influence on dry forest regeneration.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Juliana Silveira dos Santos, Luciana Cristina Vitorino, Renata Fabrega Goncalves, Marina Correa Cortes, Rafael Souza Cruz Alves, Milton Cezar Ribeiro, Rosane Garcia Collevatti
Summary: Despite the importance of secondary forests for biodiversity, the impact of pioneer trees on habitat loss and fragmentation is poorly understood. This study analyzed the effects of landscape structure on genetic variability and genetic differentiation of the pioneer tree Cecropia hololeuca in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The results showed that, in addition to conserving and restoring habitats, management practices that improve matrix permeability should be adopted to increase natural regeneration and allelic richness, while decreasing genetic differentiation of natural populations.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Susanna C. Larsson, Adam S. Butterworth, Stephen Burgess
Summary: Mendelian randomization utilizes genetic variation as a natural experiment to improve causal inferences from observational data. It can determine whether a putative risk factor likely has a causal effect on the disease.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nohemi Huanca Nunez, Robin L. Chazdon, Sabrina E. Russo
Summary: Seed-rain-successional feedbacks play a deterministic role in shaping successional trajectories in secondary wet forests, with increasing strength as the forest ages. The composition of seed rain becomes more similar to that of mature forests as successional niches and seed-rain-successional feedbacks shape successional trajectories.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Lilian Downie, Jane Halliday, Sharon Lewis, David J. Amor
Summary: Genomic newborn screening (gNBS) is crucial for optimizing the health and well-being of children and families, requiring evidence-based and beneficial programs. Key factors include ensuring equitable access, providing appropriate educational materials, and flexible informed consent. Transparency in the gene selection process is essential for testing, ensuring that parents value predictability over actionability.
Article
Forestry
Isabela Maria Souza Silva, Geangelo Petene Calvi, Carol C. Baskin, Gisele Rodrigues dos Santos, Niwton Leal-Filho, Isolde Dorothea Kossmann Ferraz
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of increased temperatures on seed germination success in the soil seed bank of secondary forests in Central Amazonia. Results showed that temperature increase affects germination and seedling density, and some species have specific sensitivities to temperature. The study suggests that natural regeneration in the region may be significantly impacted by global warming, potentially leading to changes in floristic composition.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Gabriel H. J. Robinson, Claire Domoney
Summary: Peas are a valuable source of protein, starch, and micronutrients, with genetic loci identified that affect seed protein and starch metabolism. Genetic diversity in pea germplasm for micronutrient concentrations and mineral hyperaccumulation mutants has been discovered, aiding in improving nutritional traits through crop improvement.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristina Gasperini, Elisa Carrari, Sanne Govaert, Camille Meeussen, Karen De Pauw, Jan Plue, Pieter Sanczuk, Thomas Vanneste, Pieter Vangansbeke, Giovanni Jacopetti, Pieter De Frenne, Federico Selvi
Summary: The research revealed a high proportion of generalist species in both the edge and interior forest seed banks, with variations in seedling density, species diversity, and mortality based on region and elevation. The warming simulation experiments showed thermophilization effects on forest seed banks, while edge conditions shifted seedling composition towards more light-demanding communities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
