Article
Plant Sciences
Monica Mejia-Chang, Casandra Reyes-Garcia, Ulli Seibt, Jessica Royles, Moritz T. Meyer, Glyn D. Jones, Klaus Winter, Miguel Arnedo, Howard Griffiths
Summary: This study used stable isotopes to investigate the distributions of CAM and C-3 epiphytic bromeliads across an altitudinal gradient in western Panama and their water balance. The results demonstrated significant differences in leaf water among different altitudes and seasons.
FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jamie Males, Yasmin Baksh-Comeau, Dan Jaggernauth, Shane Ballah, Shahada Paltoo, Howard Griffiths
Summary: This study investigated the niche segregation of epiphytic bromeliads in the tropical Caribbean island of Trinidad. Different species of bromeliads showed variations in their environmental limitations and adaptability. The results highlighted the vulnerability of certain species, such as Ae. fendleri, to climate change, and predicted the potential loss of these species and associated forest communities in Trinidad in the future. Epiphytic bromeliads serve as indicators of threatened communities and their physiological tolerances are crucial indicators of climate change impacts.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica Y. L. Tay, Gerhard Zotz, Jaroslaw Puczylowski, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: Vascular epiphytes, which account for almost 10% of all terrestrial plant diversity, were studied for the first time in terms of wind-epiphyte mechanical interactions. The study found that at low wind speeds, reconfiguration was an effective mechanism for drag reduction in bromeliads, with different species adapting by bending leaves and reducing frontal area. This research is a crucial first step towards understanding the mechanical constraints in epiphyte-tree systems under wind stress.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jessica Y. L. Tay, Gerhard Zotz, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: This study examined the effect of mechanical stress on the growth and biomass allocation of epiphytic bromeliads, finding that the stress had varying effects on different species, with some showing changes in growth and root-shoot ratio while others did not. This research provides valuable data on thigmomorphogenic responses of bromeliads to mechanical stress, suggesting potential for future field surveys on on-site mechanical stresses and related morphological changes in vascular epiphytes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Patricia Giampaoli, Armando Reis Tavares, Marisa Domingos
Summary: The study revealed that Aechmea fasciata and Tillandsia usneoides have different physiological responses in a polluted subtropical region characterized by seasonal climate. A. fasciata proved to be more efficient as a bioindicator bromeliad in this environment, showing higher adaptability to the environmental stressors.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wen-Yuan Fan, Xin Zhang, Pu-Can Guo, Guo-Ping Sheng
Summary: Phosphonates, an important organic phosphorus in wastewater, are difficult to remove using traditional biological treatments. This study found that ferrate can effectively remove phosphonates through oxidation and in-situ coagulation under near-neutral conditions. The ferrate-induced release of phosphate facilitated the removal of total phosphorus, with coagulation removal reaching up to 90% within 10 minutes. This work provides an efficient method for treating phosphonate-containing wastewaters.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fangfei Dong, Xiaomin Li, Yiwei Huang, Xupeng Zhi, Suliang Yang, Yinglin Shen
Summary: Imidazolium-functionalized wood sawdust (IM-WS) shows excellent adsorption properties for TcO4- and has great potential for applications in low-level radioactive wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiuxiu Jia, Tao Yin, Yin Wang, Shuxing Zhou, Xue Zhao, Wentong Chen, Guangzhi Hu
Summary: In this study, a honeycomb-structured adsorbent (LCB) was prepared from cork waste for efficient adsorption of excess phosphorus from wastewater. The adsorbent showed high adsorption efficiency and stability, making it a promising material for the treatment of P-containing wastewater.
Article
Soil Science
Issifou Amadou, Michel-Pierre Faucon, David Houben
Summary: This study investigated the availability of organic phosphorus compounds adsorbed onto soil minerals and their uptake by plants. The results showed that the availability and uptake of adsorbed organic phosphorus compounds varied depending on the type of mineral and organic phosphorus compound. The uptake of phosphorus from adsorbed organic phosphorus compounds was influenced by the available phosphorus concentration in the rhizosphere rather than the binding strength of the compounds to the mineral surface.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huanhuan Yang, Xin Wang, Shini Xia, Shumeng Zhang, Rong Zhang, Xinxin Li, Xue-Feng Yu, Xue Zhang, Licheng Bai
Summary: Electrochemical water splitting is a potential method for generating clean and renewable hydrogen energy. This research developed a strategy to modulate the Ru surface's electronic structure by rapidly forming RuP bonds with black phosphorus, thereby optimizing the electrochemical activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The results showed that the BPed-Ru-Gr catalyst exhibited remarkable price activity and resistance to Cl ions corrosion in alkaline seawater, surpassing the performance of traditional Ru-Gr and commercial Pt/C catalysts.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min Ni, Yang Pan, Xingyu Zhang, Linxiao Wen, Wanjing Yang, Yue Chen, Yong Huang, Zuowei Song
Summary: Research revealed that the growth and metabolism of polyphosphate accumulating organisms significantly affect the phosphorus removal performance of biofilm sequencing batch reactors. Specific conditions can enhance the phosphorus removal efficiency of P5.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuanmei Xu, Wenna Zhang, Guofu Zhou, Mingliang Jin, Xueshi Li
Summary: This work developed a method for in-situ growth of metal phosphides on black phosphorus nanosheets for photocatalytic carbon dioxide conversion. The Co2P/BP materials showed improved carbon dioxide capturing ability and charge separation efficiency, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jingxuan Wang, Guoquan Zhang, Sen Qiao, Jiti Zhou
Summary: A mild hydrothermal method was used to functionalize diatomite with Fe0/iron oxide nanoparticles, enhancing its adsorption capacity for phosphorus significantly. The pH of the solution had a significant impact on phosphorus recovery efficiency. The adsorption mechanism was explained by electrostatic attraction, chemical precipitation, and ligand exchange.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Roland Wohlgemuth
Summary: Reactions involving phosphorus transfer are crucial for maintaining life. Significant progress has been made in utilizing phosphorus efficiently through biocatalytic phosphorylation reactions, providing an excellent reaction platform for valuable applications.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yan He, Xueqiu Zhou, Qiongyue Zhang, Ji-Dong Gu, Yanzong Zhang, Yan Liu, Lilin Wang, Yinlong Xiao, Fei Shen, Shihai Deng, Shirong Zhang, Ling Luo
Summary: The study introduced a new VDD system with akadama clay barriers, which showed high efficiency in removing phosphorus from agricultural runoff and reducing the risk of phosphorus release into streams. Adsorption of phosphate by akadama clay barriers was identified as the main mechanism for phosphorus removal in the system.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Yonatan Aguilar-Cruz, Jose G. Garcia-Franco, Gerhard Zotz
Summary: The study on litter captured and stored by tank bromeliads in different forests in Mexico showed that they have a negligible impact on the forest carbon and nutrient cycle due to their small carbon and nitrogen pools in comparison to the total stored in forest aboveground biomass. The litter stored in tank bromeliads increases with plant area and differs between species, but the overall contribution to nutrient cycling is minimal.
Article
Ecology
Amanda Taylor, Gerhard Zotz, Patrick Weigelt, Lirong Cai, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, Christian Konig, Holger Kreft
Summary: The study demonstrates that vascular epiphytes contribute significantly to global plant diversity centers, especially in the Neotropics. The decrease in epiphyte species numbers at higher latitudes is three times faster than terrestrial plants, driven mainly by tropical forest and precipitation distribution. Furthermore, regional differences in epiphyte diversity are influenced by endemic angiosperm families, highlighting the important role of historical biogeography.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Glenda Mendieta-Leiva, Hannah L. Buckley, Gerhard Zotz
Summary: Deterministic and stochastic processes driving community assembly in community ecology, focused on vascular epiphytes in this study. The research suggests that niche-based mechanisms dominate the temporal changes of vascular epiphyte assemblages, with host size being the most important environmental filter for establishment.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Valeria Guzman-Jacob, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez, Dylan Craven, Gustavo Brant Paterno, Amanda Taylor, Thorsten Kroemer, Wolfgang Wanek, Gerhard Zotz, Holger Kreft
Summary: Variation in leaf functional traits along environmental gradients can reveal the response of vascular epiphytes to different scales of environmental changes. In this study, the variation in morphological and chemical leaf traits of vascular epiphytes along two different environmental gradients in Mexico was examined. The results showed that environmental gradients explained more variation in chemical traits than in morphological traits. Leaf carbon isotope signatures varied systematically along both environmental gradients, reflecting changes in water-use efficiency.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gerhard Zotz, Calixto Rodriguez Quiel
Summary: The Pitcairnia halophila, a type of bromeliad, can tolerate medium levels of salinity and avoid salt stress in its natural habitat, despite growing in a coastal area with close proximity to the sea.
JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Helena J. R. Einzmann, Letizia Weichgrebe, Gerhard Zotz
Summary: As climate change leads to increasing temperatures, tropical dry seasons are expected to become more severe. The impact of intense drought events on vascular epiphytes at the community level is still poorly understood. However, a study on an epiphyte community on Annona glabra host trees during the severe El Nino event of 2015/16 found that the event strongly affected the community, leading to a significant decrease in both epiphyte numbers and species.
Article
Ecology
Lauren D. Maynard, Elodie Moureau, Maaike Y. Bader, Diego Salazar, Gerhard Zotz, Susan R. Whitehead
Summary: This study investigates the short-term effects of climate change on plant-herbivore interactions in a Neotropical shrub, Piper generalense. The results suggest that climate change may indirectly affect plant-herbivore systems by altering the relationship between growth and chemical defense.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Daniela Mellado-Mansilla, Weston Testo, Michael A. Sundue, Gerhard Zotz, Holger Kreft, Mario Coiro, Michael Kessler
Summary: The study found that ferns with chlorophyllous spores are more adapted to epiphytic and waterlogged habitats, and these species have lower incidences of mycorrhizal associations. Both spore type and mycorrhizal associations appear to play important roles in the radiation of ferns into different habitat types.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Gerhard Zotz, Jose Luis Andrade, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: This article reviews the importance of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) among epiphytes in current climatic conditions and explores the prospects under global change. The authors question the view of a disproportionate importance of CAM among epiphytes and its role as a 'key innovation' for epiphytism, but identify ecological conditions in which epiphytic existence seems to be contingent on the presence of this photosynthetic pathway. The possible divergent responses of CAM and C-3 epiphytes to future changes in climate and land use are discussed with experimental evidence and long-term descriptive community studies.
Article
Plant Sciences
Christian Gegenbauer, Anke Bellaire, Arno Schintlmeister, Markus C. Schmid, Markus Kubicek, Hermann Voglmayr, Gerhard Zotz, Andreas Richter, Veronika E. Mayer
Summary: The epiphytic orchid Caularthron bilamellatum obtains nutrients from ant waste and forms a symbiotic relationship with black fungi and endophytic fungi, which help in the rapid translocation of nutrients from the waste to the plant's tissues.
Article
Plant Sciences
Casandra Reyes-Garcia, Narcy Anai Pereira-Zaldivar, Celene Espadas-Manrique, Manuela Tamayo-Chim, Nahlleli Chilpa-Galvan, Manuel Jesus Cach-Perez, Marypaz Ramirez-Medina, Ana Maria Benavides, Peter Hietz, Gerhard Zotz, Jose Luis Andrade, Catherine Cardelus, Rodolfo de Paula Oliveira, Helena J. R. Einzmann, Valeria Guzman Jacob, Thorsten Kromer, Juan P. Pinzon, Juliano Sarmento Cabral, Wolfgang Wanek, Carrie Woods
Summary: In this study, the functional groups of epiphytic bromeliads were revisited using a trait database and unsupervised classification. Five distinct functional groups were identified based on their characteristics and ecological habitats. This research enhances our understanding of the ecological adaptation and functional evolution of bromeliads.
Review
Plant Sciences
Jessica Y. L. Tay, Gerhard Zotz, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: Vascular epiphytes, which account for about 10% of all vascular plant species, rely on attachment for survival throughout their life. However, the mechanisms of initial attachment and maintenance to their hosts remain poorly understood. Bark characteristics play a key role in this connection. This review introduces a conceptual framework to explain the mechanistic link between epiphytes and hosts and guides future research to enhance our understanding of this vital aspect of epiphyte ecology.
Article
Plant Sciences
Calixto Rodriguez Quiel, Helena J. R. Einzmann, Gerhard Zotz
Summary: This study investigated the thermal insulation function of the velamen root tissue in orchids and aroids. The results showed that the velamen effectively insulated the root tissue from high temperatures. However, the heat tolerance varied among different species, which could influence the vertical distribution of epiphytes in the forest.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gerhard Zotz, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: In this study, a quantitative index of substrate preference for 450 species of filmy ferns was developed using textual information. The majority of species showed clear habitat preferences, but strict habitat specificity was rare. This compilation will be valuable for future ecological and phylogenetic studies and the approach can be applied to other taxonomic groups.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gerhard Zotz, Lisa Armenia, Helena J. R. Einzmann
Summary: This study investigates the substrate preferences of ferns and lycophytes, finding substantial intraspecific variation and proposing a new concept of gradual differences in habitat preferences. The findings have immediate implications for ecological and evolutionary studies and may significantly impact plant research in general.