Article
Agronomy
Anatolii V. Pomortsev, Nikolay V. Dorofeev, Svetlana Yu. Zorina, Natalia B. Katysheva, Lada G. Sokolova, Anna S. Zhuravkova, Elena V. Mikhailova
Summary: Winter rye exhibits a higher adaptive capacity to abiotic and biotic stressors compared to other winter crops. Its resistance to adverse environmental factors and versatility make it a highly interesting crop.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabija Vaitkeviciute, Andrius Aleliunas, Yves Gibon, Rita Armoniene
Summary: The study found that higher concentrations of ascorbate were present in leaves, while crowns accumulated more nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide during cold acclimation, deacclimation, and reacclimation in winter wheat. Constant low temperature conditions during cold acclimation led to increased accumulation of ascorbate and glutathione in plant tissues, whereas prolonged higher low temperature conditions had a negative impact on freezing tolerance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabija Vaitkeviciute, Andrius Aleliunas, Yves Gibon, Rita Armoniene
Summary: Global climate change will result in longer and warmer autumns, which will negatively affect the quality of cold acclimation and reduce the freezing tolerance of winter wheat. Exposure to prolonged higher low-temperature induces higher shoot biomass accumulation but has a negative impact on winter wheat's freezing tolerance. Deacclimation leads to significantly reduced freezing tolerance, while reacclimation allows for the recovery of freezing tolerance.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Horticulture
Alireza Rahemi, Helen Fisher, Kathryn Carter, Toktam Taghavi
Summary: Growing grapes in cool climate areas is challenging, but with proper selection of cultivars and rootstocks, cultural practices, and active protection methods, the risks of cold damage can be mitigated.
HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Tomasz Wlodarczyk
Summary: The spatial distribution of overwintering ants indicates a trade-off between winter mortality, costs of physiological adaptations, and the time needed for a colony to reactivate in response to temperature increase.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junzhou Zhang, Xiaohua Gou, M. Ross Alexander, Jingqing Xia, Fang Wang, Fen Zhang, Zihong Man, Neil Pederson
Summary: Research on xylogenesis of Juniperus przewalskii Kom. on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau reveals that temperature is crucial for wood formation, with a daily mean temperature of 6.1 degrees C as the threshold for growth onset, and the end of xylogenesis is linked to summer drought conditions. Despite a slight lengthening of the growing season over the past six years, an increase in duration did not necessarily result in higher wood production, indicating that water availability, particularly early summer precipitation, plays a key role in wood production in the region.
Article
Biology
G. G. Ananko, A. Kolosov
Summary: The Gypsy moth is a polyphagous insect that causes significant damage to forests in North America and Eurasia. Research has shown that the Siberian populations of GM have lower cold-hardiness limits for their eggs, likely compensating for the lack of physiological tolerance by choosing warm habitats for oviposition.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Pavel Vrba, Alena Suchackova Bartonova, Milos Andres, Oldrich Nedved, Petr Simek, Martin Konvicka
Summary: This study investigated the cold hardiness strategies of eight European Satyrinae species and found that cold hardiness varies among different species and habitats. The results indicate that the cold hardiness of overwintering stages plays a crucial role in the distribution of temperate and cold-zone insects.
Article
Ecology
Matthew Gonnerman, Stephanie A. Shea, Kelsey Sullivan, Pauline Kamath, Kaj Overturf, Erik Blomberg
Summary: Extreme weather conditions at high-latitude range limits can impact animal behavior and resource selection, with individuals exhibiting plasticity in response to changing weather conditions. Studying wild turkeys near their northern range limit helps to understand how animals adapt their behavior to extreme weather conditions.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tim Burton, Irja Ida Ratikainen, Sigurd Einum
Summary: This article examines the rate at which reversible phenotypic plasticity (RPP) occurs and its potential impact on how organisms overcome environmental challenges. The study suggests that current theoretical models do not consider the evolutionary potential of RPP rates. If the rate of plasticity itself can evolve, it may alter the organism's perception of environmental predictability and influence the slope of the evolved reaction norm. The optimization of phenotypic plasticity rates, their evolutionary dynamics in different environments, and the costs associated with them warrant further exploration in future research.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zigang Liu, Xiaoyun Dong, Xiaodong Cao, Chunmei Xu, Jiaping Wei, Guoqiang Zhen, Jinxiong Wang, Hui Li, Xinlin Fang, Yin Wang, Hai Yan, Chao Mi, Caixia Zhao, Wenbo Mi
Summary: This study identified the genetic mechanism underlying the cold tolerance of winter rapeseed (Brassica napus) and discovered QTLs and candidate genes related to winter survival. These results are important for improving the cold tolerance and overwintering success of winter oilseed rape.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tapani Repo, Dongxia Wu, Heikki Hanninen
Summary: The study showed that while different tree species exhibit variations in their response and speed of frost hardening, the hardening process of all four species took place in a timely manner to adapt to the winter conditions in Central Finland. Further research is needed to investigate whether the three exotic species can tolerate extreme winter conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Giacomo Puglielli, Carlos P. Carmona, Laura Varone, Lauri Laanisto, Carlo Ricotta
Summary: In trait-based ecology, it is common to use measures to quantify phenotypic variation between populations. However, these measures overlook the within-population trait variability and some of them cannot be partitioned between populations. This study proposes a new measure called the phenotypic dissimilarity (PhD) index to address these issues and provide a tool for quantifying phenotypic variation within and between species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Al P. Kovaleski
Summary: Budbreak, one of the most studied phenological phases in perennial plants, is challenging to predict due to poor understanding of dormancy. The accumulation of chilling and heat units are used to model budbreak, but the negative correlation between them suggests that more chilling leads to less forcing required for budbreak. Furthermore, variation in chilling requirements between temperate plant species affects dormancy completion and proper budbreak. This study highlights the importance of considering cold hardiness to accurately predict budbreak and suggests a new framework for studying dormancy based on cold hardiness dynamics.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Al P. Kovaleski
Summary: Budbreak, an important phenological phase in perennial plants, is influenced by dormancy which is poorly understood. The exposure to temperature, specifically chilling and forcing, plays a role in modeling budbreak. Cold hardiness is found to be a crucial aspect of dormancy and should be considered in studying dormancy and predicting budbreak. The rates of cold hardiness loss vary among species, leading to different times to budbreak, and are influenced by the accumulation of chill. Inherent differences in deacclimation rates between species can be standardized using a deacclimation potential measurement. This finding contradicts previous estimations based on budbreak assays and emphasizes the need for understanding cold hardiness dynamics in comparing dormancy control.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Anna-Jorina Wicht, Katharina Heye, Anja Schmidt, Joerg Oehlmann, Carolin Huhn
Summary: Insects with aquatic life stages can transfer sediment and water pollutants to terrestrial ecosystems. This study fills the knowledge gap on the transfer of the micropollutant carbamazepine from larvae to adult midges, showing that the uptake is concentration-dependent and reduces the emergence rate. However, the body burden remains constant in adult midges. The daily exposure of insectivorous tree swallows to carbamazepine as terrestrial predators was estimated using the energy demand of the predator and the energy content of the prey.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonas P. Wallraff, Florian Ungeheuer, Andrea Dombrowski, Joerg Oehlmann, Alexander L. Vogel
Summary: This study investigates the chemical composition and in vitro toxicity of PM2.5 organic fraction at an urban background site affected by emissions from Frankfurt international airport or the city centre. The findings show that both the chemical composition and toxicity are influenced by wind directions and airport operating conditions. Moreover, the urban background aerosol exhibits higher baseline toxicity compared to rural PM2.5 transported over the airport. Further research is needed to identify harmful organic air pollutants, their sources, and the concentration levels at which adverse effects can occur in humans and the environment.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Giulio Formenti, Kathrin Theissinger, Carlos Fernandes, Iliana Bista, Aureliano Bombarely, Christoph Bleidorn, Claudio Ciofi, Angelica Crottini, Jose A. Godoy, Jacob Hoglund, Joanna Malukiewicz, Alice Mouton, Rebekah A. Oomen, Sadye Paez, Per J. Palsboll, Christophe Pampoulie, Maria J. Ruiz-Lopez, Hannes Svardal, Constantina Theofanopoulou, Jan de Vries, Ann-Marie Waldvogel, Guojie Zhang, Camila J. Mazzoni, Erich D. Jarvis, Miklos Balint
Summary: Progress in genome sequencing has enabled the generation of large-scale reference genomes, representing global biodiversity. These genomes provide unique insights into genomic diversity and architecture, allowing comprehensive analyses in population and functional genomics, and are expected to revolutionize conservation genomics.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Werner Brack, Damia Barcelo Culleres, Alistair B. A. Boxall, Helene Budzinski, Sara Castiglioni, Adrian Covaci, Valeria Dulio, Beate I. Escher, Peter Fantke, Faith Kandie, Despo Fatta-Kassinos, Felix J. Hernandez, Klara Hilscherova, Juliane Hollender, Henner Hollert, Annika Jahnke, Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Stuart J. Khan, Andreas Kortenkamp, Klaus Kuemmerer, Brice Lalonde, Marja H. Lamoree, Yves Levi, Pablo Antonio Lara Martin, Cassiana C. Montagner, Christian Mougin, Titus Msagati, Joerg Oehlmann, Leo Posthuma, Malcolm Reid, Martin Reinhard, Susan D. Richardson, Pawel Rostkowski, Emma Schymanski, Flurina Schneider, Jaroslav Slobodnik, Yasuyuki Shibata, Shane Allen Snyder, Fernando Fabriz Sodre, Ivana Teodorovic, Kevin V. Thomas, Gisela A. Umbuzeiro, Pham Hung Viet, Karina Gin Yew-Hoong, Xiaowei Zhang, Ettore Zuccato
Summary: A suggestion to establish an international science-policy body has been made to address the severe threats of chemical pollution crisis. Immediate action is crucial and should be informed by reliable scientific knowledge and data. Challenges for such a body include global knowledge production, coverage of all hazardous chemicals, a one-health perspective, and solution-oriented assessments based on systems thinking.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paola Pollegioni, Tania Persampieri, Roxana L. Minuz, Alessandro Bucci, Alessandro Trusso, Salvatore Di Martino, Chiara Leo, Marco Bruttini, Marco Ciolfi, Ann-Marie Waldvogel, Frederic Tripet, Alekos Simoni, Andrea Crisanti, Ruth Mueller
Summary: The development of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM) and their subsequent field release provides innovative approaches for controlling malaria vectors. A non-gene drive self-limiting male-bias Ag(PMB)1 strain has been developed in Anopheles gambiae s.l. However, the functionality of the transgene could differ when inserted in different genetic backgrounds of Anopheles coluzzii, which could be a potential recipient for the release of self-limiting GMMs. In this study, the transgene from Ag(PMB)1 strain was introgressed into two recipient colonies of An. coluzzii through backcrossing, and the results showed nearly complete introgression of chromosomes 3 and X, but significant genomic divergence in a region of chromosome 2.
INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Pfenninger, Quentin Foucault, Ann-Marie Waldvogel, Barbara Feldmeyer
Summary: This study investigates the rapid adaptation of an insect population to a sudden cold snap event. Through monitoring genome-wide allele frequencies, the researchers identified selected haplotypes that increased in frequency after the event. Whole genome resequencing and transcriptome analysis revealed the genetic variants associated with cold response and their relationship to known genes and pathways. The study provides insights into the genomic architecture and dynamics of rapid adaptation in natural populations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin Grethlein, Lars Pelikan, Andrea Dombrowski, Jana Kabus, Jorg Oehlmann, Alexander Weigand, Jonas Jourdan
Summary: This study examines the population structure and phenotypic differentiation of Gammarus fossarum clade 11, a crustacean species in Central European riverine networks. The researchers find stable population structure over time and observe differences in susceptibility to a pesticide. These findings suggest that limited dispersal capacity is reflected not only in population structure but also in small-scale variation in susceptibility to anthropogenic disturbance.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jonas Jourdan, Mirco Bundschuh, Denis Copilas-Ciocianu, Cene Fiser, Michal Grabowski, Kamil Hupalo, Anita Jemec Kokalj, Jana Kabus, Joerg Roembke, Laura J. Soose, Joerg Oehlmann
Summary: The use of genetic methods has allowed the discovery of previously undistinguishable species based on morphology. However, these cryptic species are rarely considered in ecotoxicology, which can lead to false extrapolations and lack of reproducibility in experiments. It is crucial to address the ecological differentiation and sensitivity of closely related cryptic species for evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, and regulatory ecotoxicology.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dania Elisa C. Mazzeo, Andrea Dombrowski, Flavio Andrade Oliveira, Carlos Emilio Levy, Jorg Oehlmann, Mary Rosa R. Marchi
Summary: Sewage sludge has high agronomic potential but requires additional detoxification to eliminate toxic substances. This study developed a low-cost technology combining microorganisms and biostimulating agents to remove endocrine-disrupting chemicals from sewage sludge. The results showed significant reduction in endocrine-disrupting activity after the detoxification process, indicating the effectiveness of the technology in eliminating receptor-mediated toxicity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Weike Schwarz, Stina Wegener, Gerhard Schertzinger, Helena Pannekens, Peter Schweyen, Georg Dierkes, Kristina Klein, Thomas A. Ternes, Joerg Oehlmann, Elke Dopp
Summary: The widespread use of plastics leads to plastic residues being found everywhere in the environment. The degradation processes of plastics under UV irradiation can cause leaching of potentially harmful compounds into the environment. This study investigated the toxicological effects of leachates from different types of plastic materials using in-vitro bioassays, and found genotoxic and estrogenic effects above safety levels in some samples. Further investigations are needed to understand the complex mixture of substances released by plastic materials and their potential harm.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Denise Jasmin Brettschneider, Taschina Spring, Moritz Blumer, Lukas Welge, Andrea Dombrowski, Ulrike Schulte-Oehlmann, Andrea Sundermann, Matthias Oetken, Joerg Oehlmann
Summary: Restoration measures in Germany have been conducted for over 20 years to promote biodiversity by increasing habitat diversity in watercourses. However, their ecological efficacy is often limited. While some studies show an increase in species diversity, others show little improvement even after many years. The ecological efficacy of restoration measures is highest for floodplain vegetation and ground beetles, while fish stocks and macroinvertebrates show little or no improvement. The inadequate ecological status of restored river stretches may be due to the inappropriate scaling of restoration measures and insufficient consideration of chemical contamination.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel Enns, Sarah Cunze, Nathan Jay Baker, Joerg Oehlmann, Jonas Jourdan
Summary: Wastewater treatment plants are essential but ineffective at removing micropollutants from treated effluents before releasing them into aquatic environments, which can negatively impact freshwater fauna and insect communities. This study comprehensively investigated the effects of 170 WWTPs on invertebrate taxonomic composition and found that pollution tolerant taxa were favored while sensitive taxa were negatively impacted downstream of WWTPs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah Betz-Koch, Bjorn Jacobs, Jorg Oehlmann, Dominik Ratz, Christian Reutter, Arne Wick, Matthias Oetken
Summary: This study conducted pesticide monitoring in small creeks in Southern Hesse, Germany and found high concentrations of pesticides, which may pose risks to aquatic organisms. This suggests that current pesticide monitoring and assessment schemes may not effectively protect aquatic environments.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Francisco Sylvester, Fabian G. Weichert, Veronica L. Lozano, Ksenia J. Groh, Miklos Balint, Lisa Baumann, Claus Baessler, Werner Brack, Barbara Brandl, Joachim Curtius, Paul Dierkes, Petra Doell, Ingo Ebersberger, Sotirios Fragkostefanakis, Eric J. N. Helfrich, Thomas Hickler, Sarah Johann, Jonas Jourdan, Sven Klimpel, Helge Kminek, Florencia Liquin, Darrel Moellendorf, Thomas Mueller, Joerg Oehlmann, Richard Ottermanns, Steffen U. Pauls, Meike Piepenbring, Jakob Pfefferle, Gerrit Jasper Schenk, J. F. Scheepens, Martin Scheringer, Sabrina Schiwy, Antje Schlottmann, Flurina Schneider, Lisa M. Schulte, Maria Schulze-Sylvester, Ernst Stelzer, Frederic Strobl, Andrea Sundermann, Klement Tockner, Tobias Troeger, Andreas Vilcinskas, Carolin Voelker, Ricarda Winkelmann, Henner Hollert
Summary: Chemical pollution research needs to be integrated with other factors contributing to biodiversity loss and the assessment of human impacts on ecosystems in order to provide more effective guidance for biodiversity loss mitigation.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Judith Kochmann, Melanie Laier, Sven Klimpel, Arne Wick, Uwe Kunkel, Joerg Oehlmann, Jonas Jourdan
Summary: Crustacean amphipods, serving as intermediate hosts for parasites, also act as sensitive indicators of environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the infections of Gammarus roeselii with two species of Acanthocephala - Pomphorhynchus laevis and Polymorphus minutus - in different pollution levels of the Rhine-Main metropolitan region. Higher prevalence and intensities of P. laevis were found at downstream sites close to a large wastewater treatment plant. The study also examined the sensitivity of infected and uninfected amphipods towards the insecticide deltamethrin, revealing an infection-dependent difference in sensitivity. The results suggested a beneficial effect of acanthocephalan infection for G. roeselii at polluted sites.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)