Search results for " hotspot"
showing 10 items of 40 documents
Floral Color, Anthocyanin Synthesis Gene Expression and Control in Cape Erica Species
2019
Introduction: The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a biodiversity hotspot, recognized globally for its unusually high levels of endemism. The origins of this biodiversity are a long-standing topic of research. The largest “Cape clade,” Erica, radiated dramatically in the CFR, its ca. 690 species arising within 10–15 Ma. Notable between- and within-species flower color variation in Erica may have contributed to the origins of species diversity through its impact on pollinator efficiency and specificity. Methods: We investigate the expression and function of the genes of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway that controls floral color in 12 Erica species groups using RT-qPCR and UPLC-MS/MS. Resu…
Defaunation and biomass collapse of mammals in the largest Atlantic forest remnant
2016
Large continuous rainforests are the main hope for sustaining the population of large-bodied vertebrates that cannot cope with fragmentation or unsustainable hunting. The Brazilian Atlantic forest is considered a biodiversity hotspot and although highly fragmented, it still contains large forest patches that may be important for the conservation of mammals that require large areas. Here, we estimated species richness, density and biomass of medium- and large-sized mammals along the largest remnant of the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil (the Serra do Mar bioregion), an estimated area of 8000 km2. We recorded 44 species based on 4090 km of diurnal line transects and camera traps, animal tracks an…
Global patterns and drivers of alpine plant species richness
2021
B.J.-A. was funded by the Marie Curie Clarín-COFUND program of the Principality of Asturias-EU (ACB17-26) and the Spanish Research Agency (AEI/10.13039/501100011033).
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Georgia, the Caucasus region: the first report of species diversity and root colonization
2018
Although the Caucasus region belongs to the world biodiversity hotspots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have not been investigated in this area. A total of 11 mixtures of soils and roots from 11 localities in southern Georgia in an altitudinal gradient from 1 to 1560 m a. s. l. were sampled in 2015. AMF spores and arbuscular mycorrhiza were observed in all samples. Eight AMF species were found in the field-collected soils: Acaulospora bireticulata, Acaulospora cavernata, Funneliformis coronatum, Gigaspora gigantea, Glomus rubiforme, Scutellospora dipurpurescens, Septoglomus constrictum, and Septoglomus jasnowskae. The most frequently occurring species proved to be S. constrictum. Labora…
Spatio-temporal analyses of local biodiversity hotspots reveal the importance of historical land-use dynamics
2017
Woodland key habitats (WKHs) form a network of local biodiversity hotspots in human-dominated landscapes of northern Europe. They have been designated based on the presence of old-growth species and structures, and are considered to indicate long-term forest cover. To test whether WKHs do particularly occur in continuous forest land and to explore the scale dependence of relationships between WKH presence and their historical and environmental properties, we analysed them at five spatial scales (from stand to landscape: 80–2500 m) and referring to four reference years (1790, 1860, 1910, and 2010) using univariate and multivariate analyses. We upscaled the georeferenced data using a moving w…
A unique view of SARS-CoV-2 through the lens of ORF8 protein
2021
Immune evasion is one of the unique characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) attributed to its ORF8 protein. This protein modulates the adaptive host immunity through down-regulation of MHC-1 (Major Histocompatibility Complex) molecules and innate immune responses by surpassing the host's interferon-mediated antiviral response. To understand the host's immune perspective concerning the ORF8 protein, a comprehensive study of the ORF8 protein and mutations possessed by it have been performed. Chemical and structural properties of ORF8 proteins from different hosts, such as human, bat, and pangolin, suggest that the ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2 is much closer to OR…
Genome Mutational and Transcriptional Hotspots Are Traps for Duplicated Genes and Sources of Adaptations
2017
Gene duplication generatesnewgeneticmaterial,which has been shownto lead tomajor innovations in unicellular andmulticellular organisms.Awhole-genome duplication occurred in the ancestor of Saccharomyces yeast species but 92%of duplicates returned to single-copy genes shortly after duplication. The persisting duplicated genes in Saccharomyces led to the origin of major metabolic innovations, which have been the source of the unique biotechnological capabilities in the Baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. What factors have determined the fate of duplicated genes remains unknown. Here,we report the first demonstration that the local genome mutation and transcription rates determine the fate…
Unravelling biodiversity, evolution and threats to conservation in the Sahara-Sahel
2013
Deserts and arid regions are generally perceived as bare and rather homogeneous areas of low diversity. The Sahara is the largest warm desert in the world and together with the arid Sahel displays high topographical and climatic heterogeneity, and has experienced recent and strong climatic oscillations that have greatly shifted biodiversity distribution and community composition. The large size, remoteness and long-term political instability of the Sahara-Sahel, have limited knowledge on its biodiversity. However, over the last decade, there have been an increasing number of published scientific studies based on modern geomatic and molecular tools, and broad sampling of taxa of these region…
The future of temporary wetlands in drylands under global change
2021
The Andalusian International University held a workshop entitled Temporary wetlands’ future in drylands under the projected global change scenario in March 2020 in Baeza, Spain, with 26 participants from 10 countries. The workshop objectives were to promote international cooperation and scientific exchange on the conservation and protection of temporary wetlands. The participants highlighted the extreme conditions that temporary and permanent wetlands, ponds, and shallow lakes are currently facing and predicted a dismal future for these systems due to climate change. To foster a holistic view of these ecosystems, the workshop included wetland watersheds. It was concluded that the main threa…
Archaeogenetics and Landscape Dynamics in Sicily during the Holocene: A Review
2021
The Mediterranean islands and their population history are of considerable importance to the interpretation of the population history of Europe as a whole. In this context, Sicily, because of its geographic position, represents a bridge between Africa, the Near East, and Europe that led to the stratification of settlements and admixture events. The genetic analysis of extant and ancient human samples has tried to reconstruct the population dynamics associated with the cultural and demographic changes that took place during the prehistory and history of Sicily. In turn, genetic, demographic and cultural changes need to be understood in the context of the environmental changes that took place…