Biosphere Research Articles

El papel del activismo socioambiental de base en la nueva ola del movimiento climático (2018-2020)

Desde final de 2018, la nueva ola de movimientos climáticos a nivel internacional representa una nueva etapa en el activismo ecologista gracias también a la participación de actores locales que se pueden reagrupar bajo el paraguas de experiencias de activismo socioambiental de base. En el presente artículo presentaremos tres elementos que caracterizan este tipo de activismo y que consideramos determinantes en el desarrollo de estrategias frente a la crisis climática: la presencia de apegos al lugar local y global; la priorización de valores altruistas y biosféricos que se refleja en prácticas proambientales; y el carácter prefigurativo de estas prácticas. La propuesta se fundamenta en los resultados de las investigaciones llevadas a cabo en los últimos dos años en que se han estudiado distintas experiencias de activismo socioambiental de base en la Ciudad de México, además de las recientes movilizaciones del movimiento climático mexicano a partir de marzo de 2019.

Охорона раритетних угруповань лісової рослинності України: сучасний стан і загрози

Forests are characterized as open ecosystems with complex levels of interconnected component organization. The overall planetary value of forests is obvious as well as the fact that they are the most abundant protected areas and centers of biodiversity. It has been noted that conservation of the phytocoenophore as a functional basis of the biosphere, and, above all, a rare phytocoenofund, remains a priority environmental concern. It has been established that the status of rare forest groups of Ukraine has changed significantly over the last few decades. The need to protect forest rarities has been argued. The purpose of the work – to collect and summarize information on the current state of rare forest communities, evaluate their presence in the territories of biosphere and nature reserves and national nature parks and assess the latest threats to rare forest habitat in Ukraine. Field studies have been conducted by classical geobotanical methods (detailed route, bookmarking of test sites, geobotanical releves). It has been determined that nowadays the rare phytocoenofund of the forest vegetation of Ukraine is represented by 308 associations (38% of the total rare phytocoenofund) belonging to 23 formations. The rare phytocoenophund of the forest vegetation, presented in the Green Paper of Ukraine (2009), has been analyzed by indicators of the association of dominant species, botanical and geographical significance, sozological status, and potential of natural regeneration. The current state of distribution of forest rare associations in Ukraine has been characterized. The levels of their representation in the biosphere (BR) and nature reserves (NR) and national nature parks (NNPs) have been established, where they are represented by 218 rare associations of 22 formations. They are protected in 45 nature reserves (PZT) of the highest categorical ranks, including – in two PAs, 11 – PAs, 32 – NPPs. Among the forest formations, the highest degree of representation in the system of the mentioned PAs are rare phytocoenoses of the Querceta roboris formations, which are protected in two PAs and 20 NNPs; Pineta sylvestris – in six PA, 10 NPP; Fageta sylvaticae – in one BR, two PA and 12 NPP. It has been concluded that the systematic organization of regimes of conservation of rare forest fund will contribute to the maintenance of phytocoenogenetic potential, the formation of stable phytocoenoses and ecotopic balance of the vegetation cover of forests. Keywords : forest vegetation, association of rar e forest , rar e forest phy toc o enof u nd, Green book of Ukraine, naturally-protected areas.

Sedimentological, biogeochemical and chemical data in bed sediments from the Saigon River and Can Gio Mangrove, Vietnam, 2016

In January 2016, 17 bed sediments were sampled in the Saigon River and its urban canals. Analyses of grain size distribution, organic matter content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content (TPP, PIP, POP), carbon content (TC, POC, PIC), major elements and trace metals (Mg, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Pb, U, Fe, Al) and organic coumpounds including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some insecticides, as well as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and some perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were performed. In November 2016, 17 bed sediments were sampled in the Can Gio Mangrove biosphere. Analyses of grain size distribution, organic matter content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content (TPP, PIP, POP), carbon content (TC, POC, PIC) and major elements and trace metals (Mg, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Pb, U, Fe, Al) were performed.

Editorial: Climate Impacts on Glaciers and Biosphere in Fuego-Patagonia

Editorial: Climate Impacts on Glaciers and Biosphere in Fuego-Patagonia

Anthelmintic resistance in strongylids (Nematoda: Strongylidae) parasitizing wild and domestic equids in the Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve, Ukraine

Resistance of strongylids in domestic horses to benzimidazole anthelmintics (BZ) has been detected worldwide; however, information on the presence of BZ-resistance in wild equids has not been published to date. The purpose of this study was to analyze the manifestations of the BZ resistance in strongylids in domestic and wild equids kept in the Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve, Ukraine. Four species of equids: domestic horses and Shetland ponies (Equus caballus), donkeys (E. asinus), plains zebras (E. burchelli) and Grévy’s zebras (E. grevyi) kept under semi-free conditions were examined using the Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) in order to detect the presence of resistance to the BZ anthelmintics. Analysis of long-term data (2009–2019) revealed a decrease in the efficacy of BZ drugs against strongylids in these four species of equids from 97.6% in 2009 to <75% in 2019. The efficacy of anthelmintic treatments was low in all species of equids: in plains zebras – 69.4%, Grévy’s zebras – 72.7%, horses – 66.4%, ponies – 61.1% and donkeys – 45.2%. Ten species of cyathostomins (Cyathostomum catinatum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, C. ashworthi, C. leptostomus, Cylicostephanus calicatus, C. goldi, C. longibursatus, C. minutus, Coronocyclus labiatus, C. labratus) were found after horse deworming with albendazole. Our results are the first detection of BZ-resistance in strongylids of wild equids kept under semi-free conditions in the Reserve.

Environmental values and environmental concern

Attitudes, values and concerns are frequently measured to monitor individual preferences of adolescents. As there is still some discussion about how to monitor those variables with respect to empirical instruments, directions of items or length of instruments, we applied two established scales (2 Major Environmental Value Model [2-MEV] and Environmental Motives Scale [EMS]) to a Slovenian sample of 804 middle and high school students. Subsequently, we confirmed the validity and reliability of both scales as well as their applicability to Slovene subjects, aged 12–18 years. The main objective of our study was to explore the relationship between three factors of environmental concern (EMS) and the two higher-order factors of utilisation of nature and preservation of nature (2-MEV). The results show that altruistic (ALT), biospheric (BIO) and egoistic (EGO) environmental concerns correlate strongly positively with preservation of nature, but negatively and less strongly but still significantly with utilisation of nature. We conclude that raising awareness of EGO environmental concern may be as important as ALT and/or BIO concern for understanding the environmental values and attitudes of an individual. Consequences and recommendations for designing and completing educational programmes are discussed.

Impacto Socioeconómico del Turismo de la ballena gris (Eschrichtius robustus), en dos localidades de la Reserva de la Biosfera El Vizcaíno, Baja California Sur, México

El turismo es una actividad que ha mostrado en los últimos años un crecimiento en localidades que cuentan con atractivos naturales, tratándose de actividades turísticas en comunidades rurales, como el avistamiento de ballenas grises en México, especialmente en Baja California Sur (BCS) se ha tratado de vestir a este turismo como “Sustentable”. El objetivo es analizar la calidad del servicio ofertado en el turismo de observación de ballena gris en dos ejidos de la Reserva de la Biosfera El Vizcaíno (REBIVI), así como los aspectos socioeconómicos de la población local que se beneficia con empleos directos del turismo y la presencia de servicios públicos en los ejidos. Para realizar el estudio se analizaron indicadores de la satisfacción del servicio turístico obtenidos mediante encuestas a los turistas. Asimismo, se analizaron los indicadores socioeconómicos que se obtuvieron tanto del levantamiento de encuestas a los pobladores locales, como del análisis de fuentes alternas como el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). Los resultados muestran que en ambas localidades el visitante mostró satisfacción con el servicio recibido, aunque presenten carencias en algunos servicios públicos y en mayores oportunidades de empleo en el sector turístico para los habitantes locales, lo que contradice el discurso de desarrollo social y económico del turismo sustentable en México. Al final del análisis efectuado se ofrecen recomendaciones pertinentes para incrementar los beneficios y la sustentabilidad de esta estratégica actividad ecoturística.

Environmental Concern and Purchase Intention of Electric Vehicles in the Eastern Part of China

The main objective of this research was to examine the effects of environmental concern on the purchase intention of electric vehicles in the eastern part of China. The research adopted a qualitative approach to elicit data from a sample of 86 participants living in Beijing. Stratified random sampling was used as a sampling technique for these participants. The research findings indicate that environmental concern plays a significant influential role in the purchase decision of electric vehicles. The findings reflect that consumers who are environmentally concerned are more willing to purchase electrical vehicles as a means to protect their environment from air pollution. Several types of environmental concern or value orientations and their effects on the purchase decision of electric vehicles were also examined. Egoistic, social-altruistic and biospheric values were identified as the most influential value orientations in the purchase intention of electric vehicles. Apart from environmental concern and its value orientations, the study also found out that the purchase decision of electric vehicles is also affected by factors such as government incentives or subsidies on electric cars, reference group or peer group influence, driving range, possible top speed, cost of the vehicle itself, battery capacity, battery life, and charging time, appearance, charging stations, vehicle performance, maintenance costs and vehicle safety, lack of choice in vehicles, lack of electric vehicle infrastructure and potential increases in electric rates. It is therefore recommended that these factors are addressed in order to enhance the attractiveness of electric vehicles. More importantly, environmental concern has to be reinforced through campaigns which are focused on raising awareness on the issue of environmental sustainability.

"Green Oncology": the Italian medical oncologists' challenge to reduce the ecological impact of their clinical activity.

For decades Western medicine has followed a biomedical model based on linear thinking and an individualized, disease-oriented doctor-patient relationship. Today this framework must be replaced by a biopsychosocial model based on complexity theory and a person-oriented medical team-patient relationship, taking into account the psychological and social determinants of health and disease. However, the new model is already proving no longer adequate or appropriate, and current events are urging us to develop an ecological model in which the medical team takes into account both individual illness and population health as a whole, since we are all part of the biosphere. In recent years, the rising costs of cancer treatment have raised a serious issue of economic sustainability. As the population of our planet, we now need to rapidly address this issue, and everyone of us must try to reduce their ecological footprint, measured as CO2 production. Medical oncologists need to reduce the ecological footprint of their professional activity by lowering the consumption of economic resources and avoiding environmental damage as much as possible. This new paradigm is endorsed by the Italian College of Hospital Medical Oncology Directors (CIPOMO). A working group of this organization has drafted the "Green Oncology Position Paper": a proposal of Italian medical oncology (in accordance with international guidelines) that oncologists, while aiming for the same end results, make a commitment toward the more appropriate management of health care and the careful use of resources in order to protect the environment and the ecosphere during the daily exercise of their professional activities.

The concept and particularities of the legal protection of biosphere reserves in Ukraine

Проаналізовано національне законодавство та законодавство деяких країн СНД щодо охорони біосферних заповідників зокрема та природно-заповідного фонду загалом, виявлено недоліки у правовому регулюванні. З’ясовано зміст та охарактеризовано особливості правової охорони біосферних заповідників, виділено її основні форми. Сформульовано визначення поняття «правова охорона біосферних заповідників». Запропоновано шляхи удосконалення національного законодавства про охорону біосферних заповідників.

Natural and social sciences have to merge? A view from Russia

The UNESCO’s Social and Natural Sciences Councils launched a process of the merging of these two Councils aimed at enhancing if interdisciplinary research and education. The paper based on some inquires in the history of science, the author’s long-term experience of participation in the UNESCO’s ‘Man and the Biosphere’ program as well as on some current international interdisciplinary research and developments, analyses the state of affairs in this realm, the impetuses and impediments of the merging process. The author came to conclusion that: (1) it’s not a volitional decision but a reaction on integrating processes embracing all forms of human activity stimulated by the Fourth industrial revolution and rapid development of the information-communication systems embracing all spheres of human activity; (2) this revolution makes our life and its environment more ‘compressed’ and interdepended; (3) we are now in the zenith of technocratic aspirations and predominance of socio-constructivist viewpoint on social and natural processes; (4) some major research findings age gradually replaced by ‘dramatized’ and short-lived news produced by media; (5) global dynamics outstrips research-and-development processes; (6) the objective processes of sciences merging and a tough market competition clash with each other.

Selen v rastlinah in v okolju v Sloveniji / Selenium compounds in plants and in biosphere in Slovenia

V Sloveniji so tla s selenom revna in je možnost pomanjkanja selena v prehrani nekaterih skupin prebivalstva (starejsi, vegetarijanci) visoka. Gojenje rastlin, obogatenih s selenom, je ucinkovit nacin dodajanja selena v vsakdanjo prehrano tistih, ki tega esencialnega elementa ne prejmejo v zadostnih kolicinah. S prehranskega vidika so s selenom obogatena živila, predvsem rastlinskega izvora, potencialni vir selena, ki se vnasa v organizme živali in ljudi preko prehranske verige in se s kompleksnimi pretvorbami na molekulskem nivoju pretvarja iz anorganskih v bolj razpoložljive organske oblike. V prispevku so zbrani rezultati raziskovanja vsebnosti selena v posameznih rastlinskih vrstah ter razlicnih nacinov sistematicnega dodajanja selena za dosego visje koncentracije le-tega v pridelku. V delu je poudarek namenjen pregledu objavljenih del domacih strokovnjakov, ki so v Sloveniji raziskovali vsebnost selena in sposobnost njegove akumulacije v rastlinah, pri cemer so fizioloske lastnosti in pridelek rastlin dodatno narekovali spremenljivi okoljski dejavniki. Kljucne besede: Slovenija, selen, rastlinski viri, prehranski vnos, dodatek selena, okolje Selenium occurs ubiquitously in the environment and actively circulates in the biosphere. In Slovenian soil, low concentrations of selenium were detected, and the possibility of selenium deficiency in the diet of certain groups of the population (elder people, vegetarians) is high. From a nutri- tional point of view, the selenium-enriched foods, including foods of plant origin, is a potential source of selenium for humans. Selenium is introduced into the organism of animals and humans via the food chain, and the complex transformations at the molecular level translates selenium into more available organic forms. An effective way of adding selenium to the daily diet for those who do not receive this essential element in sufficient quantities is through cultivated plants enriched with selenium. The article summarizes the results of a systematic survey of selenium content in various plant species, including different ways of adding selenium to achieve a higher concentration of the same in the crops. In part, published works of Slovenian scientists who have studied the selenium content in Slovenian plant samples are reviewed. The impact of various environmental pa- rameters, including selenium fertilization on bioaccumula- tion of the same in plants, on their physiological characteristics and yield is also discussed. Keywords: Slovenia, selenium, plant sources, dietary intake, selenium supplementation, environment

Microbial life of the deep saline biosphere

Transfer microbiological studies under the surface of the Earth to exploration of deep intraterrestrial microbial life is important to allows exceeding the current framework of science. Microbial life is determined by physical, geochemical, and biological factors such as the availability of liquid water, energy, nutrients, and trace elements. Additionally, conditions including ambient temperature, pH, salinity, and pressure interact with biological systems to define the space for life. Recent studies have shown the presence and activity of cells in deep marine sediments and in the continental deep biosphere. Characterizing the bacterial community composition and recognition of diversity of microorganisms may play an important role in biogeochemical carbon cycling and potential biotechnological application of these microorganisms.

Adaptation, Evolution And Reproduction Of Gaia By The Means Of Our Species.

Nowadays, the idea that life affects the development of the planetary environment, and can, in turn, affect the future evolution of itself (in a coevolutionary way) is well-accepted. However, since the proposal of the Gaia hypothesis, there has been widespread criticism. Most of it is related to teleology, the absence of natural selection at a universal scale, and the lack of planetary reproduction. Some of the problems concerning the 'internal' logic of the idea have been resolved. Nevertheless, it is not sure whether Earth can be considered a unit of selection and (therefore) Gaia can adapt according to Darwinian evolution. After Lovelock and Margulis, Gaia has been considered a symbiotic planet composed of biotic (the biosphere) and abiotic (the geosphere-atmosphere) interacting with and coevolving elements. Here I propose why and suggest how a Gaian system should be considered alive in any evolutionary sense. I take into consideration the three principal criticisms and I analyse them following a logic-inductive reasoning. I use thought experiments and analogical arguments to analyse the rationale and the mechanisms by which Gaia evolves and may reproduce. This reasoning could allow rejecting the aforementioned criticisms as outdated and insufficient to discredit the main idea. I argue that without invoking teleology - so without any foresight or planning - a Gaian planet can be considered a coevolutionary system analogous to a multicellular body: a super-unit of selection. I describe different situations according to which Gaia is able to reproduce and transfer her planetary genome to other uninhabited or inhabited planets. Then I suggest that Gaia can face exclusion- competition-coexistence states depending on the fitness of her biota compared to those of the other reproducing biospheres. This demonstrates that Gaia can reproduce and evolve in competition-cooperation with other planets. Some deep implications arise from this evidence, also in light of the recent discovery of a new solar system with Earth-like planets by NASA.

Earth Sciences for Societal and Economic Benefits

Established in 2006, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India holistically addresses all the five components of the earth system, viz. atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere and biosphere and their complex interactions to provide services for weather, climate, ocean, coasts, hydrology, seismology and natural hazards; to explore and exploit marine living and nonliving resources in a sustainable manner, and to explore the three polar regions (Arctic, Antarctic and the Himalaya).

EcoLogicaCup : Teaching Ecology on a Web Platform

Sciences and scientific methodologies cannot today be limited to the small percentage of students in the schools; all students could know and understand the natural processes and the role they will play in their futures. Nowadays, natural sciences and ecology give rise to much interest in many scientific and not scientific areas because studying ecology we can learn more about our ‘natural home’, the biosphere. In this paper, an example of an innovative tool to support and integrate teaching sciences in the school is reported. The initiative, named EcoLogicaCup, is addressed to students of secondary schools in Italy (from eleven to nineteen years) and aims at arousing interest in students and young people about ecological topics or problems concerning the health of our biosphere. EcoLogicaCup is promoted by the Observatory on Marine Mediterranean Ecology of the University of Salento (Italy) in collaboration with the Italian National Society of Ecology (S.It.E.), the Editorial Group ‘L’Espresso’ and other partners. EcoLogicaCup is the first national on-line competition on ecology in Italy, really a game in which students study, practice and finally play a final competition on ecological subjects. Here, we report some details of this initiative and the results about the previous editions. On national scale, EcoLogicaCup achieved excellent results in terms of participating schools and teams and met a remarkable success, on international scale, in terms of website users and visitors.

Characteristics of Cold Adapted Enzyme and Its Comparison withMesophilic and Thermophilic Counterpart

The large proportion of earth’s biosphere (>70%) has cold environments in the form of ocean depths, glaciers, polar and alpine regions; and are dominated by psychrophiles. The ability of psychrophiles to proliferate in cold habitat is due to its unique capacity to transcribe, translate and synthesize cold-adapted enzymes which catalyses biochemical reactions at low temperature. The most of psychrophilic enzymes optimize their high activity at low temperature at expense of substrate affinity and reduction in free energy barrier of the transition state. Psychrophilic enzyme has optimum activity relatively at lower temperature than mesophilic and thermophilic counterpart. We have observed that there is no definite relation between Km value of psychrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic enzymes. It has also been observed that psychrophilic enzymes denatured at relatively faster and at lower temperature than mesophilic and thermophilic counterpart. In this review, attempts have been made to compile up to date advances in the field of psychrophilic enzymes and compare its characteristics with mesophilic and thermophilic counterpart.

The City and Nature

Animate “nature–1” around us is transforming into supported or non-supported by man “nature-2” within the framework of the urban development of town areas. Interaction of town and nature is a bilateral process. Experts underline 4 groups of town planning risks related to the interaction of town and nature: ecological, natural and biosphere, sanitary-epidemiologic risks as well as planning and management risks. The latter is often connected with protest population activities. The magazine is looking forward to readers comments.

Conservation of coastal marine environments

The intertidal zones of the Central American coasts are here classified as 1) cliffed or rocky headlands, 2) sandy beaches and 3) low-lying alluvial coasts. The ecosystems associated with these zones are among the most complex and biologically productive, but least understood, of the biosphere. Emphasis is placed on the importance of estuarine alluvial coasts with tidal, or mangrove, forests, which comprise approximately 30 percent of the Central American coastline. As demonstrated by studies in southern Florida, estuarine mangroves play a key role in the maintenance of juvenile forms of marine life by controlling the availability of nutrients through the accumulation of decaying detritus and the growth of organisms on the stilt roots. Thus the preservation of mangrove is essential for the maintenance of much of the offshore fishing resources. But in various parts of the Central American coast, mangrove is endangered by overcutting, industrial pollution, and urban resort development. Although less vulnerable than the mangrove coast, sand beaches and cliffed headlands deserve conservational consideration because of both their biologic and touristic value. The establishment of national parks and wildlife refuges along various parts of the Central American littoral may be a first step in the conservation of that region's coastal resources.

Oxidative stress in neonatology: Role of reactive oxygen species

Oxygen is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and plays a central role in the evolution of complex life by maintaining a homeostasis within our planet biosphere. However, oxygen can also produce toxic molecules such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS is a collective term that includes both free oxygen radicals and certain oxidizing agents that are easily converted into free radicals. ROS can be produced from both endogenous and exogenous substances and play a dual role in different biological systems, either harmful or beneficial to living organisms. On one hand, oxygen-dependent reactions and aerobic respiration have significant advantages but, on the other, overproduction of ROS has the potential to cause tissue damage. Living organisms have developed different ways of counteracting the harmful effects of ROS: by preventive mechanisms; repair; and physical and antioxidant defenses. The study of the interplay of the generation of ROS and their counteracting antioxidant defense systems during fetal and neonatal life is constantly changing and still not understood fully. New studies are being carried out to define the biological roles of these highly reactive species and in-vivo maintenance of optimal oxidant/antioxidant balance in neonates. It is now known that preterm birth, itself, is associated with an increased oxidant burden, which places these infants at much higher risk of tissue injury. In this article, we discuss the biochemical and physiological aspects of ROS-mediated injury in neonates.