| 1. |
- Davies, Stuart J., et al.
(författare)
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ForestGEO: Understanding forest diversity and dynamics through a global observatory network
- 2021
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Ingår i: Biological Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3207. ; 253
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ForestGEO is a network of scientists and long-term forest dynamics plots (FDPs) spanning the Earth's major forest types. ForestGEO's mission is to advance understanding of the diversity and dynamics of forests and to strengthen global capacity for forest science research. ForestGEO is unique among forest plot networks in its large-scale plot dimensions, censusing of all stems ≥1 cm in diameter, inclusion of tropical, temperate and boreal forests, and investigation of additional biotic (e.g., arthropods) and abiotic (e.g., soils) drivers, which together provide a holistic view of forest functioning. The 71 FDPs in 27 countries include approximately 7.33 million living trees and about 12,000 species, representing 20% of the world's known tree diversity. With >1300 published papers, ForestGEO researchers have made significant contributions in two fundamental areas: species coexistence and diversity, and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, defining the major biotic and abiotic controls on the distribution and coexistence of species and functional types and on variation in species' demography has led to improved understanding of how the multiple dimensions of forest diversity are structured across space and time and how this diversity relates to the processes controlling the role of forests in the Earth system. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps remain that impede our ability to predict how forest diversity and function will respond to climate change and other stressors. Meeting these global research challenges requires major advances in standardizing taxonomy of tropical species, resolving the main drivers of forest dynamics, and integrating plot-based ground and remote sensing observations to scale up estimates of forest diversity and function, coupled with improved predictive models. However, they cannot be met without greater financial commitment to sustain the long-term research of ForestGEO and other forest plot networks, greatly expanded scientific capacity across the world's forested nations, and increased collaboration and integration among research networks and disciplines addressing forest science.
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| 2. |
- Ramirez, Juan Ignacio, et al.
(författare)
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Density dependence of daily activity in three ungulate species
- 2021
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 11:12, s. 7390-7398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Daily activity in herbivores reflects a balance between finding food and safety. The safety-in-numbers theory predicts that living in higher population densities increases safety, which should affect this balance. High-density populations are thus expected to show a more even distribution of activity—that is, spread—and higher activity levels across the day. We tested these predictions for three ungulate species; red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). We used camera traps to measure the level and spread of activity across ten forest sites at the Veluwe, the Netherlands, that widely range in ungulate density. Food availability and hunting levels were included as covariates. Daily activity was more evenly distributed when population density was higher for all three species. Both deer species showed relatively more feeding activity in broad daylight and wild boar during dusk. Activity level increased with population density only for wild boar. Food availability and hunting showed no correlation with activity patterns. These findings indicate that ungulate activity is to some degree density dependent. However, while these patterns might result from larger populations feeling safer as the safety-in-numbers theory states, we cannot rule out that they are the outcome of greater intraspecific competition for food, forcing animals to forage during suboptimal times of the day. Overall, this study demonstrates that wild ungulates adjust their activity spread and level based on their population size.
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| 3. |
- Castro Alves, Victor, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Integration of non-target metabolomics and sensory analysis unravels vegetable plant metabolite signatures associated with sensory quality : A case study using dill (Anethum graveolens)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Food Chemistry. - : Elsevier. - 0308-8146 .- 1873-7072. ; 344
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using dill (Anethum graveolens L.) as a model herb, we revealnovel associations between metabolite profile and sensory quality, by integrating non-target metabolomics with sensory data. Low night temperatures and exposure to UV-enriched light was used to modulate plant metabolism, thereby improving sensory quality. Plant age is a crucial factor associated with accumulation of dill ether and α-phellandrene, volatile compounds associated with dill flavour. However, sensory analysis showed that neither of these compounds has any strong association with dill taste. Rather, amino acids alanine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, valine, and leucine increased in samples exposed to eustress and were positively associated with dill and sour taste. Increases in amino acids and organic acids changed the taste from lemon/grass to a more bitter/pungent dill-related taste. Our approach reveals a novel approach to establish links between effects of eustressors on sensory quality, and may be applicable to a broad range of crops.
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| 4. |
- Qian, Minjie, et al.
(författare)
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UV-A light induces a robust and dwarfed phenotype in cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) without affecting fruit yield
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientia Horticulturae. - : Elsevier. - 0304-4238 .- 1879-1018. ; 263
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Solar ultraviolet (UV) light influences plant growth and metabolism. Whereas high doses of UV can be deleterious for plants, natural UV doses are important for morphogenesis in many plants species, including those used in horticulture. Greenhouses are widely used for horticultural production and common cladding materials strongly absorb UV. Thus, low amounts of UV may be limiting the optimal development in some plant species. Light supplementation using UV tubes can overcome UV deficiency. Here we study cucumber seedling production in the absence or presence of different UV wavelengths. UV-A- (315-400 nm) and UV-B- (280-315 nm) enriched light was used for exposure and parameters such as the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, stem development (internode length and diameter, stem dry weight, stem weight per unit of stem length, and stem bending), root biomass, leaf biomass and specific leaf mass were measured. We found that UV-A supplementation resulted in shorter more compact and sturdy plants, properties that are positive from a horticultural perspective. In contrast, UV-B-enriched light led to even smaller plants that lacked the sturdy phenotype. There were no signs of decreased Fv/Fmunder any of the treatments, nor statistically significant differences in fruit yield between the control plants and the UV-treated plants when grown to harvest. In particular, the differences in fruit yield between the controls and the UV-A-treated plants were negligible in all cases. Thus, supplementary UV-A light can be an interesting alternative to chemical growth regulators for production of sturdy horticultural plants.
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| 5. |
- Callier, Myriam D., et al.
(författare)
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Attraction and repulsion of mobile wild organisms to finfish and shellfish aquaculture: A review
- 2018
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Ingår i: Reviews in Aquaculture. - : Wiley. - 1753-5123 .- 1753-5131. ; 10:4, s. 924-949
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © 2017 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd. Knowledge of aquaculture-environment interactions is essential for the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry and efficient marine spatial planning. The effects of fish and shellfish farming on sessile wild populations, particularly infauna, have been studied intensively. Mobile fauna, including crustaceans, fish, birds and marine mammals, also interact with aquaculture operations, but the interactions are more complex and these animals may be attracted to (attraction) or show an aversion to (repulsion) farm operations with various degrees of effects. This review outlines the main mechanisms and effects of attraction and repulsion of wild animals to/from marine finfish cage and bivalve aquaculture, with a focus on effects on fisheries-related species. Effects considered in this review include those related to the provision of physical structure (farm infrastructure acting as fish aggregating devices (FADs) or artificial reefs (ARs), the provision of food (e.g. farmed animals, waste feed and faeces, fouling organisms associated with farm structures) and some farm activities (e.g. boating, cleaning). The reviews show that the distribution of mobile organisms associated with farming structures varies over various spatial (vertical and horizontal) and temporal scales (season, feeding time, day/night period). Attraction/repulsion mechanisms have a variety of direct and indirect effects on wild organisms at the level of individuals and populations and may have implication for the management of fisheries species and the ecosystem in the context of marine spatial planning. This review revealed considerable uncertainties regarding the long-term and ecosystem-wide consequences of these interactions. The use of modelling may help better understand consequences, but long-term studies are necessary to better elucidate effects.
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| 6. |
- De Frenne, Pieter, et al.
(författare)
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Interregional variation in the floristic recovery of post-agricultural forests
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0022-0477 .- 1365-2745. ; 99:2, s. 600-609
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. Worldwide, the floristic composition of temperate forests bears the imprint of past land use for decades to centuries as forests regrow on agricultural land. Many species, however, display significant interregional variation in their ability to (re)colonize post-agricultural forests. This variation in colonization across regions and the underlying factors remain largely unexplored. 2. We compiled data on 90 species and 812 species x study combinations from 18 studies across Europe that determined species' distribution patterns in ancient (i.e. continuously forested since the first available land use maps) and post-agricultural forests. The recovery rate (RR) of species in each landscape was quantified as the log-response ratio of the percentage occurrence in post-agricultural over ancient forest and related to the species-specific life-history traits and local (soil characteristics and light availability) and regional factors (landscape properties as habitat availability, time available for colonization, and climate). 3. For the herb species, we demonstrate a strong (interactive) effect of species' life-history traits and forest habitat availability on the RR of post-agricultural forest. In graminoids, however, none of the investigated variables were significantly related to the RR. 4. The better colonizing species that mainly belonged to the short-lived herbs group showed the largest interregional variability. Their recovery significantly increased with the amount of forest habitat within the landscape, whereas, surprisingly, the time available for colonization, climate, soil characteristics and light availability had no effect. 5. Synthesis. By analysing 18 independent studies across Europe, we clearly showed for the first time on a continental scale that the recovery of short-lived forest herbs increased with the forest habitat availability in the landscape. Small perennial forest herbs, however, were generally unsuccessful in colonizing post-agricultural forest even in relatively densely forested landscapes. Hence, our results stress the need to avoid ancient forest clearance to preserve the typical woodland flora.
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| 7. |
- Jenab, Mazda, et al.
(författare)
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Association between pre-diagnostic circulating vitamin D concentration and risk of colorectal cancer in European populations : a nested case-control study
- 2010
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Ingår i: BMJ. British Medical Journal. - : BMJ Publishing Group. - 0959-8146 .- 0959-535X. ; 340, s. b5500-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between pre-diagnostic circulating vitamin D concentration, dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium, and the risk of colorectal cancer in European populations. DESIGN: Nested case-control study. Setting The study was conducted within the EPIC study, a cohort of more than 520 000 participants from 10 western European countries. PARTICIPANTS: 1248 cases of incident colorectal cancer, which developed after enrolment into the cohort, were matched to 1248 controls MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Circulating vitamin D concentration (25-hydroxy-vitamin-D, 25-(OH)D) was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Dietary and lifestyle data were obtained from questionnaires. Incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the risk of colorectal cancer by 25-(OH)D concentration and levels of dietary calcium and vitamin D intake were estimated from multivariate conditional logistic regression models, with adjustment for potential dietary and other confounders. RESULTS: 25-(OH)D concentration showed a strong inverse linear dose-response association with risk of colorectal cancer (P for trend <0.001). Compared with a pre-defined mid-level concentration of 25-(OH)D (50.0-75.0 nmol/l), lower levels were associated with higher colorectal cancer risk (<25.0 nmol/l: incidence rate ratio 1.32 (95% confidence interval 0.87 to 2.01); 25.0-49.9 nmol/l: 1.28 (1.05 to 1.56), and higher concentrations associated with lower risk (75.0-99.9 nmol/l: 0.88 (0.68 to 1.13); >or=100.0 nmol/l: 0.77 (0.56 to 1.06)). In analyses by quintile of 25-(OH)D concentration, patients in the highest quintile had a 40% lower risk of colorectal cancer than did those in the lowest quintile (P<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed a strong association for colon but not rectal cancer (P for heterogeneity=0.048). Greater dietary intake of calcium was associated with a lower colorectal cancer risk. Dietary vitamin D was not associated with disease risk. Findings did not vary by sex and were not altered by corrections for season or month of blood donation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this large observational study indicate a strong inverse association between levels of pre-diagnostic 25-(OH)D concentration and risk of colorectal cancer in western European populations. Further randomised trials are needed to assess whether increases in circulating 25-(OH)D concentration can effectively decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.
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| 8. |
- Qian, Minjie, et al.
(författare)
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Supplementary UV-A and UV-B radiation differentially regulate morphology in Ocimum basilicum
- 2023
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Ingår i: Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. - : Springer. - 1474-905X .- 1474-9092. ; 22:9, s. 2219-2230
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- UV-A- or UV-B-enriched growth light were given to basil plants at non-stress-inducing intensities. UV-A-enriched growth light gave rise to a sharp rise in expression of PAL and CHS genes in leaves, an effect that rapidly declined after 1-2 days of exposure. On the other hand, leaves of plants grown in UV-B-enriched light had a more stable and long-lasting increase in expression of these genes and also showed a stronger increase in leaf epidermal flavonol content. UV supplementation of growth light also led to shorter more compact plants with a stronger UV effect the younger the tissue. The effect was more prominent in plants grown under UV-B-enriched light than in those grown under UV-A. Parameters particularly affected were internode lengths, petiole lengths and stem stiffness. In fact, the bending angle of the 2nd internode was found to increase as much as 67% and 162% for plants grown in the UV-A- and UV-B-enriched treatments, respectively. The decreased stem stiffness was probably caused by both an observed smaller internode diameter and a lower specific stem weight, as well as a possible decline in lignin biosynthesis due to competition for precursor by the increased flavonoid biosynthesis. Overall, at the intensities used, UV-B wavelengths are stronger regulators of morphology, gene expression and flavonoid biosynthesis than UV-A wavelengths.
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