Search results for "SPECIES"

Biodiverse green roofs in Mediterranean climate. Input and lessons learned from Germany and Switzerland

In the realm of the doctoral program in technologies for sustainability and land restoration, this thesis deepens sustainable and ecological solutions for Mediterranean environment after the German tradition and the Swiss school of green roofs for biodiversity. Specific aims were to: (1) assess the effectiveness of the existing green roofs norms in supporting biodiversity; (2) review methodologies and approaches for the implementation of biodiverse green roofs but also their application for ecological design; (3) identify habitat templates in the Mediterranean ecoregion replicable on green roofs; and (4) investigate the long term vegetation development of unmanaged green roofs in order to g…

Variation in ω-3 and ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Produced by Different Phytoplankton Taxa at Early and Late Growth Phase

2020

Phytoplankton synthesizes essential ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for consumers in the aquatic food webs. Only certain phytoplankton taxa can synthesize eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5ω3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6ω3), whereas all phytoplankton taxa can synthesize shorter-chain ω-3 and ω-6 PUFA. Here, we experimentally studied how the proportion, concentration (per DW and cell-specific), and production (µg FA L-1 day-1) of ω-3 and ω-6 PUFA varied among six different phytoplankton main groups (16 freshwater strains) and between exponential and stationary growth phase. EPA and DHA concentrations, as dry weight, were similar among cryptophytes and diatoms. However, Crypto…

Ocena możliwości potencjalnej ekspansji prześwietlika dębowego Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832), inwazyjnego gatunku z rodziny Tingidae (Hemiptera: Het…

2020

Corythucha arcuata, the North American oak lace bug feeding on leaves of “white oaks” in its native range, was discovered in Europe in 2000 (in northern Italy). Since that time it has spread rapidly in several European countries where its population outbreaks have been observed. However, the species was not reported from Poland, so far. In this study the potential geographic distribution of Corythucha arcuata was modelled using maximum entropy (Max-Ent) in order to predict the regions of Poland where it would have found the best environmental conditions for its further spread. The results showed that the highest habitat suitability areas were located in the central-eastern parts…

Effect of Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment on Oxidative Stress Markers in Leukocytes and Their Interaction with the Endothelium in Obese Subjects w…

2020

Aim: The primary objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effect of dietary therapy on both parameters of oxidative stress in leukocytes and leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in an obese population. Methods: This was a pilot study with a before-and-after design. Forty-nine obese subjects with periodontitis were randomized by means of the minimization method and assigned to one of two groups, one of which underwent dietary therapy while the other did not. All the subjects underwent non-surgical periodontal treatment. We determined periodontal, inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters&mdash

Ferulago nodosa Subsp. geniculata (Guss.) Troia & Raimondo from Sicily (Italy): Isolation of Essential Oil and Evaluation of Its Bioactivity

2020

Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. (Apiaceae) is a species occurring in the Balkan-Tyrrhenian area. The object of the present study is Sicilian F. nodosa subsp. geniculata (Guss.) Troia & Raimondo, classified as an endemic F. nodosa subspecies. Aerial parts of this plant species were subjected to hydrodistillation to obtain an essential oil. A total of 93 compounds were identified with 2,3,6-trimethyl benzaldehyde (19.0%), spathulenol (9.0%), (E)-caryophyllene (5.4%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.4%) as the main components. The biological activities of F. nodosa essential oil were also investigated. This oil showed an interesting antioxidant potential in a 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sul…

Optimal Spectral Wavelengths for Discriminating Orchard Species Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques

2019

Sustainable management of orchard fields requires detailed information about the tree types, which is a main component of precision agriculture programs. To this end, hyperspectral imagery can play a major role in orchard tree species mapping. Efficient use of hyperspectral data in combination with field measurements requires the development of optimized band selection strategies to separate tree species. In this study, field spectroscopy (350 to 2500 nm) was performed through scanning 165 spectral leaf samples of dominant orchard tree species (almond, walnut, and grape) in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari province, Iran. Two multivariable methods were employed to identify the optimum wavelengths:…

Benson group additivity values of phosphines and phosphine oxides: Fast and accurate computational thermochemistry of organophosphorus species

2018

Composite quantum chemical methods W1X-1 and CBS-QB3 are used to calculate the gas phase standard enthalpy of formation, entropy, and heat capacity of 38 phosphines and phosphine oxides for which reliable experimental thermochemical information is limited or simply nonexistent. For alkyl phosphines and phosphine oxides, the W1X-1, and CBS-QB3 results are mutually consistent and in excellent agreement with available G3X values and empirical data. In the case of aryl-substituted species, different computational methods show more variation, with G3X enthalpies being furthest from experimental values. The calculated thermochemical data are subsequently used to determine Benson group additivity …

Benson group additivity values of phosphines and phosphine oxides : Fast and accurate computational thermochemistry of organophosphorus species

2019

Composite quantum chemical methods W1X-1 and CBS-QB3 are used to calculate the gas phase standard enthalpy of formation, entropy and heat capacity of 38 phosphines and phosphine oxides for which reliable experimental thermochemical information is limited or simply nonexistent. For alkyl phosphines and phosphine oxides, the W1X-1 and CBS-QB3 results are mutually consistent and in excellent agreement with available G3X values and empirical data. In the case of aryl-substituted species, different computational methods show more variation, with G3X enthalpies being furthest from experimental values. The calculated thermochemical data are subsequently used to determine Benson group additivity co…

ALLERGENS IN THE PARK AND GARDEN FLORA OF SICILY

2017

The ornamental flora of parks and gardens, as we know, generally includes high proportions of exotics. In Italy it arose from Renaissance on and increasingly enriched up to include a large proportion of exotics native to countries under Mediterranean and temperate climates. Similarly the garden flora of Sicily has a large number of mostly Mediterranean and subtropical exotics. Even if very similar on the whole, these floras differ in some floristic, biological and ecological features. Indeed, several succulent families and genera that are rare or missing in Italy are frequent in Sicily, but plants from temperate regions are almost absent in the island. As regards the allergenic patterns ref…

Impact of plant cover on the cavity-nesting ant Temnothorax crassispinus

2017

1. Plant communities influence the availability of important resources for ants, such as nest sites and food, as well as environmental conditions. Thus, plants affect the abundance and distribution of ants. 2. In a field experiment, the influence of plant cover on the settlement of nest sites and per-capita productivity of sexual individuals by the ant Temnothorax crassispinus was analysed. In July 2014, in five areas with patches of alien balsam Impatiens parviflora, and another five of native balsam I. noli-tangere, transects composed of artificial nests were established; the nest sites were situated inside patches of balsams, and outside of them. Four hundred and forty artificial nests w…