13004 research outputs found
Sort by
Exploring the relationship between habitat richness and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) human cases in Europe: a multi-scale study
No full textThe natural transmission cycle of the TBE virus is enhanced by complex interactions between ticks and key hosts. The diversity of wildlife host species and their relative abundance is known to affect transmission of tick-borne diseases. In the current context of global biodiversity loss, we explored the relationship between habitat richness and the pattern of human TBE cases in Europe to assess biodiversity’s role in disease risk mitigation. Methods. We assessed human TBE case distribution across 879 European regions using data reported to the European Surveillance System (TESSy) between 2017 and 2021. We statistically explored the relationship between TBE presence and a novel variable - habitat richness index (HRI) - describing the diversity of European ecosystem types. We also validated our findings at local scale using data collected between 2017 and 2021 in 227 municipalities located in Trento and Belluno provinces, two known TBE foci in northern Italy. Results. Our results showed a significant effect of HRI on the probability of presence of human TBE cases in the regions included in our dataset, and a significant, negative effect of HRI on the local presence of TBE in northern Italy. At both spatial scales, TBE risk decreases in areas with high HRI. Interpretation. Here, we considered habitat richness as proxy of vertebrate host biodiversity to explore its role in driving TBE European occurrence at different spatial scales. The results suggest that biodiversity loss could considerably enhance disease risk for both humans and wildlife, which may influence biodiversity conservation policie
Global evidence that cold rocky landforms support icy springs in warming mountains
Full text linkClimate change is reducing the extent of cold aquatic habitats and their unique biodiversity in mountain areas. However, a variety of cold rocky landforms (CRLs) are thermally buffered and feed cold springs (<2 ◦C) that may represent climate refugia for cold-adapted organisms. These landforms, hitherto overlooked by freshwater research, include rock glaciers, debris-covered glaciers, talus slopes, protalus ramparts, and young moraines. Here, we investigated the warm-season water temperature of 228 springs from clean (ice) glaciers, CRLs, and reference slopes (not sourced by any of these features) in 13 mountain ranges of Europe, South America, and North America. Only springs from glaciers (90%) and CRLs (45%) had average stream temperatures below the thermal optimum for coldwater organisms of 2 ◦C. Springs fed by CRLs were 3 ◦C–5 ◦C (up to 9 ◦C) colder than those from nearby reference slopes. In general, cold springs were rarer in Mediterranean/semi-arid climates than in temperate and sub-polar climates. Landforms comprising barren and coarse rocky surfaces or ice/rock mix, having a simple or absent soil/vegetation structure, and higher likelihood of permafrost more often supported cold springs. When water temperatures were compared to air temperature, most CRL springs were thermally buffered against warm periods, cumulative heat, and daily temperature fluctuations. With cold conditions maintained in a variety of climates and mountain landscapes
Micropropagation of apple cultivars ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Royal Gala’ in bioreactors
Full text linkThis study aimed to investigate culture conditions for the efficient micropropagation of apple cultivars ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Royal Gala’ in liquid medium by temporary immersion. RITA® bioreactors were used for the multiplication stage whereas RITA® or PlantformTM were used for the rooting stage. Murashige and Skoog media (MS) with N6-benzyladenine (BA) was used for shoot multiplication and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for root induction. During the multiplication phase, we evaluated the mineral medium, BA concentration, immersion frequency, silver nitrate and activated charcoal supplementation and the use of physical supports to hold explants in an upright position. The results demonstrated that longer incubation periods (10 weeks) were better than shorter periods (6 weeks) for decreasing hyperhydricity and increasing the multiplication coefficient (MC). For ‘Golden Delicious’, the highest MC were obtained either with explants placed directly on the bioreactor basket and immersed six times per day for 60 s in MS with 2.2 μM BA or explants placed between rockwool cubes cultivated with 4.4 μM BA (both yielding MC of 8.9 and 5–10% hyperhydricity). These results were superior to ‘Royal Gala’, which showed a MC of 7.3 and 23% of hyperhydricity when cultivated in MS with half nitrates, 1.55 μM BA and rockwool cubes. Both varieties rooted efficiently (96–100%), and resulting plantlets were successfully acclimated. This is the first report in the micropropagation of these two commercial fruiting cultivars in temporary immersion, demonstrating the potential of this technology to enhance large-scale plant production for the apple nursery industr
High-Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis for screening edited lines: a case study in Vitis spp.
Full text linkIn recent years, CRISPR-Cas9 technology has become a powerful and indispensable tool for targeted mutagenesis in plants, including applications such as gene knockout, prime-editing, multiplex gene editing, and regulation of gene transcription. As the number of potential genome editing approaches expands at a very fast pace, rapid, efficient, and cost-effective analytical strategies are needed to screen large numbers of mutants, including the detection of off-target events. In this study, we reported a detection method based on High-Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis to discriminate between wild-type (wt) and edited lines of different varieties of Vitis vinifera and grapevine rootstocks. Those edited lines were obtained through Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation of embryogenic calli using the CRISPR/SpCas9 system and targeting VviEPFL9-1 and VviEPFL9-2, two paralogous genes involved in stomata cell fate induction. The method clearly distinguished between the wt allele and the mutated one and was partially effective in distinguishing different types of mutation. Moreover, HRM data elaboration based on a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) allowed one to group populations of lines which originated from the same transformation event. Our study demonstrates the reliability of HRM as a fast and cost-effective diagnostic tool for the screening of edited lines and the evaluation of off-target event
Grassland changes in the Eastern Alps over four decades: unveiling patterns along an elevation gradient
Full text linkAims Alpine valleys have faced escalating global changes in recent decades such as a decline of traditional management and rural expansion. Grasslands are likely the type of vegetation most affected by these transformations. This study investigates the multifaceted changes in plant diversity over the past four decades in a major valley of the Italian Eastern Alps and examines whether changes occurred uniformly across different elevations. Location Valsugana Valley, Eastern Alps, Italy. Methods In 2022, we resurveyed 115 vegetation plots (including vascular plants, mosses, and lichens) originally sampled in 1986–1988. Plots were collected in grasslands and span along an elevation gradient of 2000 m. At each time period, we automatically classified these plots using the EUNIS expert system of habitats. We analysed the variation over time in species richness, species diversity, beta diversity (turnover and nestedness), and relative proportion of life form, woodiness, and neophyte species along an elevation gradient, subdivided in low-, middle-, and high-elevation belts. Lastly, we quantified the number of gained, winning, stable, losing, and lost species. Results We found differences in the classification of EUNIS habitats and elevation-dependent changes in community diversity and composition. Many grassland types were transformed into other grassland types or into forests and man-made habitats. Species richness varied along the elevation gradient over time, being constant at lower elevations but markedly increasing at high elevations. Temporal turnover dominated across elevations, especially at lower sites, while nestedness components increased towards high elevations. Neophytes increased and hemicryptophytes decreased in the low-elevation belt, while therophytes and geophytes increased at low- and high-elevation belts. In the middle-elevation belt, many dry grassland species were replaced by nitrophilous and woody species. High-elevation witnessed species replacement with the loss of mountain species and the increase of therophyte and geophyte species. Conclusions Grasslands of Valsugana valley have undergone substantial changes over four decades. Different processes likely acted across the elevation gradient. Nonetheless the driver, impoverishment of semi-natural grassland species was observed over time across elevations. Understanding these changes in vegetation is essential for a comprehensive evaluation of ecological variations over time. Conservation management strategies should be tailored to address biodiversity changes at varying elevations to counteract the negative trends of plant diversity loss and the ongoing habitat transformation of grasslands in the Alps
Development and validation of biobased home compostable packaging inside the SISTERS project
No full textReshaping grapevine canopy management under climate change scenarios: the role of conservative summer pruning on leaf physiology, berry microclimate, wine aromatic and sensory profile
Full text linkCanopy management in viticulture involves key agronomic practices aimed at balancing the leaf-to-fruit ratio and optimizing microclimates for leaves and bunches. In temperate-to-cool regions, intensive green pruning is essential for effective crop protection and aroma development. However, rising temperatures and stress conditions are prompting a re-evaluation of these practices to mitigate negative impacts from overexposed bunch-zones such as sugar accumulation, acidity loss, sunburn, anthocyanin degradation, and reduced vine longevity. This study explored alternative, more conservative green pruning methods in Guyot-trained Cabernet Franc and Nermantis (a pathogen-resistant hybrid) over two years to: i) reshape berry and leaf microclimate, ii) evaluate berry quality, and iii) assess wine aroma and sensory characteristics. Significant differences emerged between minimal and intensive canopy management strategies. Reduced intervention led to: 1) lower canopy porosity and bunch light exposure; 2) reduced leaf photoinhibition; 3) cooler berry temperatures; 4) better sugar-acid balance at harvest; and 5) higher anthocyanin levels. These effects held across contrasting seasons—2022 (hot, dry) and 2023 (cool, wet)—though driven by different putative mechanisms: differences in berry microclimate in 2022 and unbalanced leaf-to-fruit ratio in 2023. While wine chemistry showed little variation, aroma profiles were clearly affected. However, sensory analysis revealed varietal sensitivity, with Cabernet Franc more responsive than Nermantis, especially for aroma. Assuming summer pruning as a critical operation in the context of grapevine crop protection, the possibility to exploit the potential inherently higher tolerance to fungal pathogens of hybrid varieties is discusse
On the occurrence of the genus Schellencandona (Ostracoda, Candonidae) in Italy, with the description of a new species
No full textSubterranean environments harbour a diverse yet understudied ostracod fauna, particularly within the family Candonidae, which poses significant taxonomic challenges due to subtle morphological traits that require careful examination to differentiate genera and species. The genus Schellencandona, composed predominantly of stygobiotic species, currently includes 15 described species, many of which are endemic, while a few may have potential intercontinental distributions. This genus is characterized by considerable variability in the morphology of valve and carapace, along with homoplastic similarities to other subterranean candonid species. In contrast, the morphology of the soft parts is highly conservative across species, offering a more stable basis for taxonomic identification. This study reports the first confirmed records of living Schellencandona species in Italy, including one species new to science, for which a detailed morphological description of both valves and soft parts is provided. The second recorded taxon closely resembles a species previously reported from Germany and more recently from Turkey. Both species were collected from the interstitial habitats of hydrologically-dynamic river stretches and exhibit highly localized distributions. These findings suggest that Schellencandona may have a greater species diversity than currently recognized in Italy, where research on ostracods inhabiting groundwater and groundwater-dependent ecosystems remains limited compared to other European countries. In addition, this study provides a comprehensive review of the literature concerning the geographical distribution and habitat preferences of Schellencandona species. However, the potential to explore biogeographic patterns within the genus remains constrained by the general lack of illustrations accompanying existing records, which hinders the validation of their taxonomic assignment
