461 results match your criteria: "School of Science and the Environment[Affiliation]"

The soil nitrogen (N) cycle in the alpine wetland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has been strongly affected by vegetation degradation caused by climate change and human activities, subsequently impacting ecosystem functions. However, previous studies have rarely addressed how varying degrees of vegetation degradation affect soil net nitrogen mineralization rates and their temporal dynamics in these sensitive ecosystems. Therefore, we conducted a three-year field-based soil core in situ incubation mineralization experiment on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau from 2019 to 2021 to assess the variations in soil net ammonification, nitrification, and mineralization rates during the growing season (June to October).

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Elective and emergency Caesarean section (C-section) procedures are on the rise, exceeding the recommended guidelines by the World Health Organization. Higher morbidities and long-term health conditions are correlated to C-section deliveries, including neurodevelopmental disorders. During C-section delivery, newborns are not exposed to the vaginal commensal flora, which impedes the early establishment of the gut microbiota.

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Strawberry ripening is non-climacteric, and post-harvest fruit enter senescence and deteriorate rapidly. Chilled storage induces transcriptome wide changes in gene expression, including the down-regulation of aroma related genes. Histone marks are associated with transcriptional activation or repression; the H3K27me3 mark is mainly associated with repression of gene expression.

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The surge in population growth, urbanization, and shifts in food consumption patterns have resulted in a rise in the global production of organic waste. This waste material must be repurposed and effectively managed to minimize environmental footprints. The generation of abundant biowaste, especially from marine sources, may have detrimental impacts on the environment and human health if left untreated.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how filtering organic-rich waters in the Boreal Zone affects the concentrations and size distribution of dissolved trace elements (TEs), particularly focusing on ionic and colloid-associated TEs.
  • Results show that membrane filtration significantly reduces concentrations of inorganic colloid-associated TEs in river waters, excluding 20-80% of ionic TEs and 100% of larger colloid-associated TEs under clogged conditions.
  • In contrast, cartridge filtration is more efficient at allowing ions to pass through while excluding colloids, leading to varying concentrations of bioavailable TEs despite similar nominal pore sizes.
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Methane emissions from paddy fields can increase under future warming scenarios. Nevertheless, a comprehensive comparison of the temperature sensitivity of methane-related microbial processes remains elusive. Here, we revealed that the temperature sensitivity of methane production (activation energy () = 0.

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Unlabelled: Bioaerosols are useful indicators of plant phenology and can demonstrate the impacts of climate change on both local and regional scales (e.g. pollen monitoring/flowering phenology).

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The analysis of colloid-associated trace elements (TEs) in acidic, organic-rich waters (pH 3.8-5.8) using AF4-UV-ICPMS often necessitates the use of neutral or weakly alkaline carriers (pH 7-8.

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Cannabis-infused foods: Phytonutrients, health, and safe product innovations.

Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf

September 2024

Biotron Experimental Climate Change Research Centre/Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

Cannabis-infused foods are currently on the rise in markets all around the world. Meanwhile, there are concerns over the health implications for consumers. Studies have explored the therapeutic potential and nutritional and economic benefits of cannabis usage.

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Alternaria is a ubiquitous fungal genus with many allergenic and pathogenic species inhabiting grasslands. We hypothesise that grasslands (natural/man-made) host a diversity of fungal species whose spores have varying emission patterns. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential of grasslands for emission, diversity and composition of Alternaria and other fungal species.

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Exposing illegal hunting and wildlife depletion in the world's largest tropical country through social media data.

Conserv Biol

October 2024

Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ), Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Piracicaba, Brazil.

Globally, illegal sport hunting can threaten prey populations when unregulated. Due to its covert nature, illegal sport hunting poses challenges for data collection, hindering efforts to understand the full extent of its impacts. We gathered social media data to analyze patterns of illegal sport hunting and wildlife depletion across Brazil.

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Romantic engagement can bias sensory perception. This 'love blindness' reflects a common behavioural principle across organisms: favouring pursuit of a coveted reward over potential risks. In the case of animal courtship, such sensory biases may support reproductive success but can also expose individuals to danger, such as predation.

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Effect of biochar amendment on bacterial community and their role in nutrient acquisition in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) grown under elevated CO.

Chemosphere

September 2024

State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Joint International Research Centre for Critical Zone Science-University of Leeds and Nanjing University, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Quanzhou Institute for Environment Protection Industry, Nanjing University, Beifeng Road, 362000 Quanzhou, China. Electronic address:

Global climate change is anticipated to shift the soil bacterial community structure and plant nutrient utilization. The use of biochar amendment can positively influence soil bacterial community structure, soil properties, and nutrient use efficiency of crops. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism and response of bacterial community structure to biochar amendment, and its role in nutrient enhancement in soil and plants under elevated CO.

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Dynamic m6A mRNA methylation reveals the involvement of AcALKBH10 in ripening-related quality regulation in kiwifruit.

New Phytol

September 2024

Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, China.

Kiwifruit ripening is a complex and highly coordinated process that occurs in conjunction with the formation of fruit edible quality. The significance of epigenetic changes, particularly the impact of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification on fruit ripening and quality formation, has been largely overlooked. We monitored m6A levels and gene expression changes in kiwifruit at four different stages using LC-MS/MS, MeRIP, RNA-seq, and validated the function of AcALKBH10 through heterologous transgenic expression in tomato.

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Unraveling the neutral and polar lipidome of Nordic brown macroalgae: A sustainable source of functional lipids.

Food Chem

November 2024

Centre for Innovative Food (CiFOOD), Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, Aarhus N 8200, Denmark; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark. Electronic address:

Brown macroalgae represent a sustainable and abundant source of lipids with acknowledged functional and health benefits. Nonetheless, macroalgae lipidome has been poorly unraveled due to lipids complex structural and chemical diversity. In this study, a comprehensive lipidomic analysis was performed in four macroalgae: Saccharina latissima, Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus serratus and the invasive Sargassum muticum, using HILIC-C30RP-HRMS.

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Fungi are among the most diverse and ecologically important kingdoms in life. However, the distributional ranges of fungi remain largely unknown as do the ecological mechanisms that shape their distributions. To provide an integrated view of the spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi, we implemented a globally distributed standardized aerial sampling of fungal spores.

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Article Synopsis
  • Conflicts between Nile crocodiles and local communities in sub-Saharan Africa are common, posing serious threats to fisherfolk and riverine populations, with annual attacks resulting in high mortality rates.
  • A study in South Sudan revealed that while communities fear crocodiles due to attacks on humans and livestock, they also value them for their meat and skin, indicating a complex relationship.
  • To manage crocodile populations and reduce conflicts, it's suggested to create a sanctuary in the Sudd wetlands, balancing the need for protection against crocodiles with sustainable practices.
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Global Spore Sampling Project: A global, standardized dataset of airborne fungal DNA.

Sci Data

May 2024

Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.

Novel methods for sampling and characterizing biodiversity hold great promise for re-evaluating patterns of life across the planet. The sampling of airborne spores with a cyclone sampler, and the sequencing of their DNA, have been suggested as an efficient and well-calibrated tool for surveying fungal diversity across various environments. Here we present data originating from the Global Spore Sampling Project, comprising 2,768 samples collected during two years at 47 outdoor locations across the world.

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A multimodal analytical approach is important in accurately assessing terpene composition in edible essential oils.

Food Chem

October 2024

Department of Biology/Biotron Experimental Climate Change Research Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Terpenes in essential oils might help make our brains and bodies healthier, so scientists are studying them more closely.
  • In our research, we used four different ways to analyze the essential oils to find all the terpenes present.
  • We found 156 different terpenes, but just 58 showed up in all methods; mixing two specific methods gives a better picture of all the terpenes in the oils.
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Antiviral defense in plant stem cells.

Trends Plant Sci

September 2024

State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Hebei International Research Center of Vegetable Functional Genomics, College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071000, China; Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China; School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Worcester WR2 6AJ, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. Electronic address:

Undifferentiated plant and animal stem cells are essential for cell, tissue, and organ differentiation, development, and growth. They possess unusual antiviral immunity which differs from that in specialized cells. By comparison to animal stem cells, we discuss how plant stem cells defend against viral invasion and beyond.

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Arabidopsis Col-0 RPP2A and RPP2B confer recognition of Arabidopsis downy mildew (Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis [Hpa]) isolate Cala2, but the identity of the recognized ATR2 effector was unknown. To reveal ATR2, an F population was generated from a cross between Hpa-Cala2 and Hpa-Noks1. We identified ATR2 as a non-canonical RxLR-type effector that carries a signal peptide, a dEER motif, and WY domains but no RxLR motif.

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Article Synopsis
  • Over the past few decades, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) has gained recognition for effectively separating colloid-associated trace elements in water samples, but there are still unknowns regarding measurement artifacts at low concentrations.
  • A study using boreal river water revealed that significant trace element losses (up to 48%) occur due to adsorption onto system surfaces, which may also lead to cross-contamination.
  • To address these issues, preconditioning the AF4 system with natural organic matter is proposed to reduce contamination and improve measurement accuracy in DOM-rich waters.
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SAG21/LEA5 is an unusual late embryogenesis abundant protein in Arabidopsis thaliana, that is primarily mitochondrially located and may be important in regulating translation in both chloroplasts and mitochondria. SAG21 expression is regulated by a plethora of abiotic and biotic stresses and plant growth regulators indicating a complex regulatory network. To identify key transcription factors regulating SAG21 expression, yeast-1-hybrid screens were used to identify transcription factors that bind the 1685 bp upstream of the SAG21 translational start site.

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Better estimation of evapotranspiration and transpiration using an improved modified Priestly-Taylor model based on a new parameter of leaf senescence in a rice field.

Sci Total Environ

June 2024

Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China; Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China. Electronic address:

Evapotranspiration (ET) is at the heart of the global water, energy, and carbon cycles. As ET is difficult and expensive to measure, it is crucial to develop estimation models that can be widely applied. Currently, an improved Priestley-Taylor (PT) model considers soil moisture stress, temperature constraints, and leaf senescence; however, its parameter (f) for simulating crop senescence is based on empirical values, making it difficult to apply to different varieties and complex external conditions and thus challenging to generalize.

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The chemical species of trace elements (TEs) in agricultural soils is highly variable under diverse conditions, requiring tools with clear resolution and minimal disturbance for exploration. A novel surgical (316L) stainless steel (SS) lysimeter with a 5 μm pore size was developed to collect field soil solutions. The size-resolved distribution of TEs were characterized into total (nitric acid digestion), particulate (0.

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