Evaluating plant lineage losses and gains in temperate forest understories: a phylogenetic perspective on climate change and nitrogen deposition

Global change has accelerated local species extinctions and colonizations, often resulting in losses and gains of evolutionary lineages with unique features. Do these losses and gains occur randomly across the phylogeny? We quantified: temporal changes in plant phylogenetic diversity (PD); and the phylogenetic relatedness (PR) of lost and gained species in 2672 semi-permanent vegetation plots in European temperate forest understories resurveyed over an average period of 40 yr. Controlling for differences in species richness, PD increased slightly over time and across plots. Moreover, lost species within plots exhibited a higher degree of PR than gained species. This implies that gained species originated from a more diverse set of evolutionary lineages than lost species. Certain lineages also lost and gained more species than expected by chance, with Ericaceae, Fabaceae, and Orchidaceae experiencing losses and Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae, and Rosaceae showing gains. Species losses and gains displayed no significant phylogenetic signal in response to changes in macroclimatic conditions and nitrogen deposition. As anthropogenic global change intensifies, temperate forest understories experience losses and gains in specific phylogenetic branches and ecological strategies, while the overall mean PD remains relatively stable.

Combining multiple investigative approaches to unravel functional responses to global change in the understorey of temperate forests

Plant communities are being exposed to changing environmental conditions all around the globe, leading to alterations in plant diversity, community composition, and ecosystem functioning. For herbaceous understorey communities in temperate forests, responses to global change are postulated to be complex, due to the presence of a tree layer that modulates understorey responses to external pressures such as climate change and changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition rates. Multiple investigative approaches have been put forward as tools to detect, quantify and predict understorey responses to these global-change drivers, including, among others, distributed resurvey studies and manipulative experiments. These investigative approaches are generally designed and reported upon in isolation, while integration across investigative approaches is rarely considered. In this study, we integrate three investigative approaches (two complementary resurvey approaches and one experimental approach) to investigate how climate warming and changes in nitrogen deposition affect the functional composition of the understorey and how functional responses in the understorey are modulated by canopy disturbance, that is, changes in overstorey canopy openness over time. Our resurvey data reveal that most changes in understorey functional characteristics represent responses to changes in canopy openness with shifts in macroclimate temperature and aerial nitrogen deposition playing secondary roles. Contrary to expectations, we found little evidence that these drivers interact. In addition, experimental findings deviated from the observational findings, suggesting that the forces driving understorey change at the regional scale differ from those driving change at the forest floor (i.e., the experimental treatments). Our study demonstrates that different approaches need to be integrated to acquire a full picture of how understorey communities respond to global change.

Directional turnover towards larger-ranged plants over time and across habitats

Species turnover is ubiquitous. However, it remains unknown whether certain types of species are consistently gained or lost across different habitats. Here, we analysed the trajectories of 1827 plant species over time intervals of up to 78 years at 141 sites across mountain summits, forests, and lowland grasslands in Europe. We found, albeit with relatively small effect sizes, displacements of smaller- by larger-ranged species across habitats. Communities shifted in parallel towards more nutrient-demanding species, with species from nutrient-rich habitats having larger ranges. Because these species are typically strong competitors, declines of smaller-ranged species could reflect not only abiotic drivers of global change, but also biotic pressure from increased competition. The ubiquitous component of turnover based on species range size we found here may partially reconcile findings of no net loss in local diversity with global species loss, and link community-scale turnover to macroecological processes such as biotic homogenisation.

The gender differences in the implementation and maintenance of a structured-enhanced education and follow-up program in primary prevention for coronary artery disease

Background

Primary prevention programs for coronary artery disease (CAD) may be effective in improving health-related behavioral outcomes. However, successful implementation and maintenance of these programs can vary amongst genders. The primary aim of this study is to assess the gender differences in a structured, enhanced education and follow-up program for CAD prevention in an area where the diverse population and economy are major problems.

Methods

SANKO CAD Prevention Project (SCAD-PPI) was designed as a longitudinal study and utilized medical school students to conduct the project under the supervision of professors. It began in 2014 and had two different education and training phases. In the first phase, every school year for second year Medical students underwent a year-long, especially designed training program on primary prevention for CAD. In the second phase, which took place in the second year of the study, a series of conferences regarding the primary prevention for CAD were organized by the University and local municipalities for underserved populations. Participants were prospectively assigned to an intervention where pre- and post-conference knowledge was collected and assessed. Every intervention was conducted by specially trained third year Medical students and an education booklet, which was specially designed for the study, was given to the participants. Every other month thereafter, for 6 months, each participant was followed-up via phone calls. At the 6 months follow -up, data was collected to assess the impact of the program on behavioral outcomes. Every year a new class assigned to undergo the same training program and serve to the local population at different locations within the same city and suburbs.

Results

A total of 172 participant were enrolled; 61% were women, mean age was 40±11.9 years with no significant difference in between the groups.; 67% of women were not working (p<0.001). While BMI rates were higher in women (27.9±5.5 kg/m2, p<0.016), smoking rates were higher in men (p<0.001). Overall, knowledge on CAD risk factors, primary prevention measures, diet, and daily exercise habits were poor in both groups. After the enhanced education and follow-up program there was a significant improvement on the knowledge of CAD risk factors and primary prevention measures in both groups (p<0.001). Importantly, the follow-up program led both groups to implement those positive changes into their lives and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

This is the first study which showed that a longitudinally structured training program of medical students could be utilized to implement an enhanced education and follow–up program for primary prevention of CAD in an economically challenged, underserved population with successful outcomes in both genders. This model program is not only beneficial for public interest, but also enhances active interaction of medical students with patients at a very early stage of their career.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Changes in Antioxidative, Oxidoreductive and Detoxification Enzymes during Development of Aphids and Temperature Increase

Temperature, being the main factor that has an influence on insects, causes changes in their development, reproduction, winter survival, life cycles, migration timing, and population dynamics. The effects of stress caused by a temperature increase on insects may depend on many factors, such as the frequency, amplitude, duration of the stress, sex, or the developmental stage of the insect. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the enzymatic activity of nymphs and adult aphids Aphis pomi, Macrosiphum rosae and Cinara cupressi, and changes in their response to a temperature increase from 20 to 28 °C. The activity of enzymatic markers (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), β-glucosidase, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD)) in aphid tissues was analysed for three constant temperatures. The results of our research showed that the enzymatic activity of aphids (measured as the activity of antioxidant, detoxifying and oxidoreductive enzymes) was mainly determined by the type of morph. We observed a strong positive correlation between the activity of the detoxifying and oxidoreductive enzymes and aphids' development, and a negative correlation between the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and aphids' development. Moreover, the study showed that an increase in temperature caused changes in enzyme activity (especially SOD, CAT and β-glucosidase), which was highest at 28 °C, in both nymphs and adults. Additionally, a strong positive correlation between metabolic activity (heat flow measured by microcalorimeter) and longevity was observed, which confirmed the relationship between these characteristics of aphids. The antioxidant enzyme system is more efficient in aphid nymphs, and during aphid development the activity of antioxidant enzymes decreases. The antioxidant enzyme system in aphids appears to deliver effective protection for nymphs and adults under stressful conditions, such as high temperatures.

Changes in Aphid-Plant Interactions under Increased Temperature

Thermal stress in living organisms causes an imbalance between the processes of creating and neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS). The work aims to explain changes in the aphid-host plant interaction due to an increase in temperature. Tests were carried out at three constant temperatures (20, 25, or 28 °C). Firstly, changes in development of Macrosiphum rosae were determined. Secondly, the activity of enzymatic markers (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), β-glucosidase, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD)) in aphid M. rosae tissues and host plant were analyzed at all temperatures. An increase in temperature to 28 °C had a negative effect on the biology of M. rosae by shortening the period of reproduction and longevity, thus reducing the demographic parameters and fecundity. Two stages of the aphid's defensive response to short-term (24-96 h) and long-term (2 weeks) thermal stress were observed. Aphid defense responses varied considerably with temperature and were highest at 28 °C. In turn, for the plants, which were exposed to both abiotic stress caused by elevated temperature and biotic stress caused by aphid feeding, their enzymatic defense was more effective at 20 °C, when enzyme activities at their highest were observed.

Impact of Forest Management on the Temporal Dynamics of Herbaceous Plant Diversity in the Carpathian Beech Forests over 40 Years

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the complex dependence of herbaceous plant diversity on forest structure and management. However, among the studies presented so far, those in which the chronosequence (approach based on the assumption of space-for-time substitution) was used, dominate. On the other hand, it is rare to find results based on long-term research on permanent or semi-permanent sampling plots. The aim of this study was to recognize the changes in the vegetation composition and dynamics of various indices of herbaceous plant diversity over 40 years of forest development, and their dependence on forest structure and management. Here we analyzed the temporal dynamics of herbaceous plant diversity in Carpathian fertile beech forests, based on datasets recorded on semi-permanent plots in three censuses (the 1970s, 2000s and 2010s). We checked the temporal changes in alpha, beta, and gamma diversity. Analyses of the plant diversity were performed on the background of changes in forest structure and management systems. We found that the within-plot (alfa diversity) and between-plot (beta diversity) herbaceous plant diversity metrics showed inconsistent patterns along with changes in the forest structure, management systems, and intensity of forest management, during the last 40 years. Temporal changes in the gamma diversity followed the changes in alpha diversity. Although the beta diversity after 40 years is greater than in the past, we argue that the conservation status of habitats typical for well-preserved fertile mountain beech forests has deteriorated due to a decline in the sharing of the diagnostic species of these forests. We showed the importance of the different temporal interactions between the forest structure and management for herbaceous plant diversity. We argue that, in view of the complexity of these processes, it would be a mistake to reject or prioritize alpha or beta diversity measurements to determine the real course of long-term changes in herbaceous plant diversity and to properly assess the state of the forest biodiversity, their conservation status, or conservation action plans. In addition, we need far more data from long-term observations to fully understand the possible relationship patterns between the factors controlling the forest structure and plant diversity.

Response to Comment on "Forest microclimate dynamics drive plant responses to warming"

Schall and Heinrichs question our interpretation that the climatic debt in understory plant communities is locally modulated by canopy buffering. However, our results clearly show that the discrepancy between microclimate warming rates and thermophilization rates is highest in forests where canopy cover was reduced, which suggests that the need for communities to respond to warming is highest in those forests.

Response to Comment on "Forest microclimate dynamics drive plant responses to warming"

Bertrand et al question our interpretation about warming effects on the thermophilization in forest plant communities and propose an alternative way to analyze climatic debt. We show that microclimate warming is a better predictor than macroclimate warming for studying forest plant community responses to warming. Their additional analyses do not affect or change our interpretations and conclusions.

Forest microclimate dynamics drive plant responses to warming

Climate warming is causing a shift in biological communities in favor of warm-affinity species (i.e., thermophilization). Species responses often lag behind climate warming, but the reasons for such lags remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed multidecadal understory microclimate dynamics in European forests and show that thermophilization and the climatic lag in forest plant communities are primarily controlled by microclimate. Increasing tree canopy cover reduces warming rates inside forests, but loss of canopy cover leads to increased local heat that exacerbates the disequilibrium between community responses and climate change. Reciprocal effects between plants and microclimates are key to understanding the response of forest biodiversity and functioning to climate and land-use changes.

Defense responses of Thuja orientalis to infestation of anholocyclic species aphid Cinara tujafilina

The aim of this study was to determine an interdependence between generation of semiquinone radicals, superoxide anion (O₂-), manganese ions (Mn²⁺) and phenolic content in leaves of Thuja orientalis in response to infestation by varying populations of Cinara tujafilina, i.e. 40 or 80 aphids per plant. Also, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and β-d-glucosidase activities in leaves of T. orientalis in a defense response to C. tujafilina was recorded. Analyses of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) showed generally a higher concentration of semiquinone radicals with g-values of 2.0051 ± 0.0005 and 20032 ± 0.0005 after C. tujafilina infestation in leaves in comparison to the control. Up to 48 h post-infestation in leaves infested by 80 aphids the level of semiquinone radicals was significantly higher than in the control, while in leaves infested by 40 aphids the highest concentrations of these radicals were recorded at later time points (i.e. at 72 and 96 hpi). In parallel, the highest total generation of O₂- and low activity of SOD were recorded in 24-h leaves infested by 80 aphids. Additionally, analysis of confocal images showed that the strongest yellow fluorescence indicating O₂- generation was detected in epidermal cells of leaves up to 48 hpi. Significant reduction of Mn²⁺ ions detected by EPR spectroscopy in relation to the control was observed in 4-w leaves infested by 80 and 40 aphids and in 48-h leaves infested by 40 aphids. Phenolic contents in leaves infested by 80 and 40 aphids at all time points were higher than in the control. The greatest β-d-glucosidase activity and phenolic contents were recorded at 96 h of feeding. These results indicate that the perception of C. tujafilina infestation by T. orientalis leaves induces a specified sequence of defense mechanisms in the course of time.

Understanding context dependency in the response of forest understorey plant communities to nitrogen deposition

Understorey communities can dominate forest plant diversity and strongly affect forest ecosystem structure and function. Understoreys often respond sensitively but inconsistently to drivers of ecological change, including nitrogen (N) deposition. Nitrogen deposition effects, reflected in the concept of critical loads, vary greatly not only among species and guilds, but also among forest types. Here, we characterize such context dependency as driven by differences in the amounts and forms of deposited N, cumulative deposition, the filtering of N by overstoreys, and available plant species pools. Nitrogen effects on understorey trajectories can also vary due to differences in surrounding landscape conditions; ambient browsing pressure; soils and geology; other environmental factors controlling plant growth; and, historical and current disturbance/management regimes. The number of these factors and their potentially complex interactions complicate our efforts to make simple predictions about how N deposition affects forest understoreys. We review the literature to examine evidence for context dependency in N deposition effects on forest understoreys. We also use data from 1814 European temperate forest plots to test the ability of multi-level models to characterize context-dependent understorey responses across sites that differ in levels of N deposition, community composition, local conditions and management history. This analysis demonstrated that historical management, and plot location on light and pH-fertility gradients, significantly affect how understorey communities respond to N deposition. We conclude that species' and communities' responses to N deposition, and thus the determination of critical loads, vary greatly depending on environmental contexts. This complicates our efforts to predict how N deposition will affect forest understoreys and thus how best to conserve and restore understorey biodiversity. To reduce uncertainty and incorporate context dependency in critical load setting, we should assemble data on underlying environmental conditions, conduct globally distributed field experiments, and analyse a wider range of habitat types.

Global environmental change effects on plant community composition trajectories depend upon management legacies

The contemporary state of functional traits and species richness in plant communities depends on legacy effects of past disturbances. Whether temporal responses of community properties to current environmental changes are altered by such legacies is, however, unknown. We expect global environmental changes to interact with land-use legacies given different community trajectories initiated by prior management, and subsequent responses to altered resources and conditions. We tested this expectation for species richness and functional traits using 1814 survey-resurvey plot pairs of understorey communities from 40 European temperate forest datasets, syntheses of management transitions since the year 1800, and a trait database. We also examined how plant community indicators of resources and conditions changed in response to management legacies and environmental change. Community trajectories were clearly influenced by interactions between management legacies from over 200 years ago and environmental change. Importantly, higher rates of nitrogen deposition led to increased species richness and plant height in forests managed less intensively in 1800 (i.e., high forests), and to decreases in forests with a more intensive historical management in 1800 (i.e., coppiced forests). There was evidence that these declines in community variables in formerly coppiced forests were ameliorated by increased rates of temperature change between surveys. Responses were generally apparent regardless of sites' contemporary management classifications, although sometimes the management transition itself, rather than historic or contemporary management types, better explained understorey responses. Main effects of environmental change were rare, although higher rates of precipitation change increased plant height, accompanied by increases in fertility indicator values. Analysis of indicator values suggested the importance of directly characterising resources and conditions to better understand legacy and environmental change effects. Accounting for legacies of past disturbance can reconcile contradictory literature results and appears crucial to anticipating future responses to global environmental change.

Combining community resurvey data to advance global change research

More and more ecologists have started to resurvey communities sampled in earlier decades to determine long-term shifts in community composition and infer the likely drivers of the ecological changes observed. However, to assess the relative importance of, and interactions among, multiple drivers joint analyses of resurvey data from many regions spanning large environmental gradients are needed. In this paper we illustrate how combining resurvey data from multiple regions can increase the likelihood of driver-orthogonality within the design and show that repeatedly surveying across multiple regions provides higher representativeness and comprehensiveness, allowing us to answer more completely a broader range of questions. We provide general guidelines to aid implementation of multi-region resurvey databases. In so doing, we aim to encourage resurvey database development across other community types and biomes to advance global environmental change research.

Redescription of males of the aphid species Cinara (Cupressobium) tujafilina and Cinara (Cupressobium) cupressi (Hemiptera, Lachninae)

This paper presents the first comprehensive description of the winged males of Cinara tujafilina and Cinara cupressi (Hemiptera, Lachninae) and establishes the morphological characters enabling differentiation between them. We show that some populations of C. tujafilina, a species considered to be anholocyclic, may not have lost the genetic ability to produce males and under favourable conditions can develop in a holocyclic manner.

Male infertility after renal transplantation: achievement of pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Chronic renal failure, dialysis, and immunosuppression after transplantation may cause reproductive failure. Although transplantation may reverse most sperm functions in the male, there is sufficient evidence in the literature that sperm motility may not be restored. Herein we present three cases with male factor infertility who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). There is a lack of evidence for use of ICSI for couples in whom the infertile husband had undergone renal transplantation. Case 1, a 25-year-old woman with a 7-year history of infertility had a 33-year-old husband, with asthenoteratospermia status-post renal transplantation 1 year prior. The wife delivered healthy twins at 36 weeks of gestation after three embryos were transferred. Case 2, a 34-year-old woman with infertility of 6 years, had a 34-year-old husband transplanted 2 years prior and hospitalized for chronic rejection during ICSI treatment. He had severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. She is currently 20 weeks pregnant with a singleton after transfer of two embryos. Case 3, a 31-year-old woman with a previous spontaneous abortion and 3 years of failure to conceive, had a 41-year-old husband status-post renal transplantation 16 years ago, currently in chronic renal failure treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. His sperm analysis showed oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. However, pregnancy did not occur after transfer of two embryos. Health status after renal transplantation influences sperm function. Because healthy sperm is required for fertilization and embryonic development, ICSI candidates after renal transplantation must be in optimum health.

Various manifestations of hyperphalangism

Hyperphalangism is a rare congenital anomaly, with an extra phalanx between the phalanges in a finger. About 100 cases have been recorded in the literature. We report 42 cases in six generations of a family with various manifestations.

Confined placental mosaicism in term placentae: analysis of 125 cases

In order to determine the incidence of confined placental mosaicism (CPM) in term placentae and to show the presence of specific sites and the effect on fetal development, 125 placentae from uneventful pregnancies were analysed by cytogenetic methods. The incidence was at least 4.8 per cent and there were no specific sites on the placenta. Although the number of cases is still too small, we found CPM to be associated with intrauterine growth retardation in six cases.