Changing Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Cardiac arrhythmias in fish induced by natural and anthropogenic changes in environmental conditions.

A regular heartbeat is essential for maintaining the homeostasis of the vertebrate body. However, environmental pollutants, oxygen deficiency and extreme temperatures can impair heart function in fish. In this Review, we provide an integrative view of the molecular origins of cardiac arrhythmias and their functional consequences, from the level of ion channels to cardiac electrical activity in living fish. First, we describe the current knowledge of the cardiac excitation-contraction coupling of fish, as the electrical activity of the heart and intracellular Ca2+ regulation act as a platform for cardiac arrhythmias. Then, we compile findings on cardiac arrhythmias in fish. Although fish can experience several types of cardiac arrhythmia under stressful conditions, the most typical arrhythmia in fish - both under heat stress and in the presence of toxic substances - is atrioventricular block, which is the inability of the action potential to progress from the atrium to the ventricle. Early and delayed afterdepolarizations are less common in fish hearts than in the hearts of endotherms, perhaps owing to the excitation-contraction coupling properties of the fish heart. In fish hearts, Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum plays a smaller role than Ca2+ influx through the sarcolemma. Environmental changes and ion channel toxins can induce arrhythmias in fish and weaken their tolerance to environmental stresses. Although different from endotherm hearts in many respects, fish hearts can serve as a translational model for studying human cardiac arrhythmias, especially for human neonates.

Growth, Evapotranspiration, Gas Exchange and Chl a Fluorescence of Ipê-Rosa Seedlings at Different Levels of Water Replacement

In general, young plants in the establishment phase demonstrate sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions, especially regarding water availability. The effects of the seasonality of biophysical processes on plant physiology can trigger differential responses, even within the same region, making it necessary to conduct studies that characterize the physiological performance of the species at different spatial and temporal scales, making it possible to understand their needs and growth limits under water stress conditions. This paper aimed to evaluate the growth, gas exchange and Chl a fluorescence in ipê-rosa seedlings subjected to levels of water replacement (LWRs) of 100, 75, 50 and 25% in a greenhouse. The morphometric variables of plant height, diameter at stem height, numbers of leaves and leaflets, root length and volume, plant dry mass and leaf area were evaluated. The potential evapotranspiration of seedlings (ETc) was obtained using direct weighing, considering the water replacement of 100% of the mass variation between subsequent days as a reference; the cultivation coefficients (kc) were obtained using the ratio between ETc and the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) obtained by the Penman–Monteith FAO-56 method. Biomass and evapotranspiration data were combined to determine water sensitivity. Diurnal fluxes of gas exchange (net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, internal and atmospheric carbon ratio, water use efficiency and leaf temperature) and Chl a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, ETR, Fv′/Fm′, NPQ and qL) were evaluated. Water restriction caused reductions of 90.9 and 84.7% in the increase in height and diameter of seedlings subjected to 25% water replacement when compared to seedlings with 100% water replacement. In comparison, biomass accumulation was reduced by 96.9%. The kc values increased throughout the seedling production cycle, ranging from 0.59 to 2.86. Maximum water sensitivity occurred at 50% water replacement, with Ky = 1.62. Maximum carbon assimilation rates occurred in the morning, ranging from 6.11 to 12.50 µmol m−2 s−1. Ipê-rosa seedlings regulate the physiology of growth, gas exchange and Chl a fluorescence depending on the amount of water available, and only 25% of the water replacement in the substrate allows the seedlings to survive.

A modified perturb and observe MPPT algorithm with zero steady state oscillation for single-phase grid-connected transformerless solar inverter

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a modified perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm to improve the performance of maximum power point tracking in a grid-connected solar inverter. The proposed method eliminates the steady state oscillations in photovoltaic panel voltage under stable irradiance conditions there by enhancing its performance. It also retains the simplicity of conventional P&O algorithm and introduces only one additional step of checking the quantum of power change to bypass the perturbations. A cascaded multi-loop control structure is adopted to achieve the objectives and retain the ability to respond to changing environmental conditions. The proposed and conventional P&O algorithms along with a designed 1 kW single-phase grid-connected transformerless solar inverter are simulated in PSIM to perform a comparative study. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is validated experimentally on the developed solar inverter prototype.

A highly variable habitat selection in moose across diel and seasonal scales

PurposeHabitat selection in animals is a hierarchal process that operates across multiple temporal and spatial scales, adapting to changes in environmental conditions, human disturbances, and predation risks. Despite its significance, previous research often oversimplifies temporal dynamics by categorizing them into broad seasonal and diel patterns, overlooking the continuous nature of temporal variability and habitat specificity.MethodsWe investigated the temporal patterns in habitat selection of moose (Alces alces) in highly heterogenous landscapes at the southwestern edge of their European range using step-selection functions. Utilizing over 700,000 GPS locations from 34 adult moose, we aimed to assess seasonal and diel patterns in their selectivity for both natural and human-related habitats.ResultsOur findings revealed significant overall temporal variation in moose habitat selection at both seasonal and diel scales. Moose selectivity toward different habitats showed low repeatability over time, with 35% of cases displaying negative correlation between selectivity in different time windows. Diel changes were more pronounced, showing 5.6-fold difference in cumulative selectivity, compared to 1.4-fold difference in seasonal dynamics. Notably, moose exhibited lower selectivity during nighttime hours throughout the year compared to daytime hours. The study also highlighted distinct habitat selection patterns across different habitat types: natural habitats (deciduous forests, coniferous forests, wetlands) exhibited pronounced seasonal variation, while anthropogenic habitats (grasslands, arable land, roads and settlements) showed more diel variability. Moose generally avoided human-related habitats during daytime hours, but their preferences during nighttime varied depending on the habitat type and time of year.ConclusionThis research advances our understanding of the complex temporal patterns in habitat selection by large herbivores and underscores the importance of considering temporal dynamics in habitat selection modelling.

Половая структура поселений двустворчатого моллюска Macoma calcarea (Gmelin, 1791) в районах с разным гидрологическим режимом

The influence of changes in environmental conditions on the reproductive cycles of benthic organisms (sexual structure, size of puberty, stages of gonad maturity, oocyte size) of the bivalve mollusk Macoma calcarea in the western part of the Spitsbergen archipelago (Grenfjord Bay) and the eastern part of the Barents Sea (coastal archipelago) was studied New Earth). In a settlement of M. calcarea in the warmer waters of Grenfjord, intensive reproductive processes were observed. In this area, females reach sexual maturity with a shorter shell length than males and individuals from other areas of the Barents Sea; In terms of sex ratio, females dominate over males, and a large number of juveniles are noted. Females at the spawning stage were found only near Novaya Zemlya. The diameter of the oocytes varied from 30 to 200 µm depending on the stage of maturity. In the mollusks M. calcarea, the breeding season is extended in time in both study areas.

Reexploring Rice Germplasm: Enlightening a New Path Towards Abiotic Stress-resilient Crop

Oryza sativa, the commonly cultivated rice, is one of the most important crops for human consumption, but is also a crop whose production system is increasingly threatened by the current climate changes. Due to its intensive water requirement rice faces a lot of challenges due to abiotic stresses like drought, heat stress, salinity, flooding etc. Drought is the major abiotic stress to rice grain production under unpredictable and changing environmental conditions. Traits supporting drought resistance are limited in cultivars, while wild rice species like O. glaberrima, O. longistaminata, O. rufipogon and O. meridonalis represent an important reservoir of useful genes for this trait which can be exploited to develop varieties tolerant to drought. Similarly O. australiensis, O. coarctata and O. rufipogon serve as an important sources for salinity-tolerant genes. O. rufipogon, O. meridonalis, O. australiensis comprise a collection of accessions that are reservoirs for heat-tolerant genes. Although many efforts have resulted in breeding rice varieties that are relatively tolerant to their local environments; climate change and population growth are expected to soon require a new, rapid generation of stress-tolerant rice germplasm. Diversity studies suggest that the current diversity within rice varieties may not be sufficient for generation of highly resistant or tolerant varieties for the unfavorable growing conditions. All the efforts to design an ideotype to increase production and productivity has been attempted previously, rice self-sufficiency can be attained only if high production and productivity is coupled with a high degree of tolerance and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors. Since it has been found that wild rice relatives serve as a hub for many desirable genes conferring tolerance or resistance to specific stresses, the present article is focused on provide an overview of different wild ancestors of rice which can be exploited to identify suitable donors for gene of interest, their ecological and genomic diversity and the variation observed in wild Oryza species for different stress tolerance traits. Such identified traits can be incorporated in modern day breeding programmes through marker assisted breeding to develop cultivable varieties with desired tolerance to abiotic stresses or transfer such traits to modern day cultivars through backcross breeding.

Thermal Infrared Orthophoto Geometry Correction Using RGB Orthophoto for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The geometric correction of thermal infrared (TIR) orthophotos generated by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) presents significant challenges due to low resolution and the difficulty of identifying ground control points (GCPs). This study addresses the limitations of real-time kinematic (RTK) UAV data acquisition, such as network instability and the inability to detect GCPs in TIR images, by proposing a method that utilizes RGB orthophotos as a reference for geometric correction. The accelerated-KAZE (AKAZE) method was applied to extract feature points between RGB and TIR orthophotos, integrating binary descriptors and absolute coordinate-based matching techniques. Geometric correction results demonstrated a significant improvement in regions with stable and changing environmental conditions. Invariant regions exhibited an accuracy of 0.7~2 px (0.01~0.04), while areas with temporal and spatial changes saw corrections within 5~7 px (0.10~0.14 m). This method reduces reliance on GCP measurements and provides an effective supplementary technique for cases where GCP detection is limited or unavailable. Additionally, this approach enhances time and economic efficiency, offering a reliable alternative for precise orthophoto generation across various sensor data.

Reviving collapsed plant-pollinator networks from a single species.

Mutualistic ecological networks can suddenly transition to undesirable states due to small changes in environmental conditions. Recovering from such a collapse can be difficult as restoring the original environmental conditions may be infeasible. Additionally, such networks can also exhibit a phenomenon known as hysteresis, whereby the system could exhibit multiple states under the same environmental conditions, implying that ecological networks may not recover. Here, we attempted to revive collapsed mutualistic networks to a high-functioning state from a single species, using concepts from signal propagation theory and an eco-evolutionary model based on network structures of 115 empirical plant-pollinator networks. We found that restoring the environmental conditions rarely aided in recovery of collapsed networks, but a positive relationship between recovering pollinator density and network nestedness emerged, which was qualitatively supported by empirical plant-pollinator restoration data. In contrast, network resurrection from a collapsed state in undesirable environmental conditions where restoration has minimal impacts could be readily achieved by perturbing a single species or a few species that controls the response of the dynamical networks. Additionally, nestedness in networks and a moderate amount of trait variation could aid in the revival of networks even in undesirable environmental conditions. Our work suggests that focus should be applied to a few species whose dynamics could be steered to resurrect entire networks from a collapsed state and that network architecture could play a crucial role in reviving collapsed plant-pollinator networks.

A global database of soil seed bank richness, density, and abundance.

A soil seed bank is the collective name for viable seeds that are stored naturally in the soil. At the species or population level, the ability to form a seed bank represents a strategy for (re)colonization following a disturbance or other change in the local environmental conditions. At the community level, seed banks are thought to buffer local diversity during periods of environmental change and are often studied in relation to the potential for passive habitat restoration. The role that seed banks play in plant population and community dynamics, as well as their importance in the agricultural sector, means that they have been widely studied in ecological research. This database is the result of a comprehensive literature search, including all seed bank studies from the Web of Science from which data could be extracted, as well as an additional search of the Russian language literature. The database contains information on the species richness, seed density, and/or seed abundance in 3096 records from at least 1929 locations across the world's seven continents, extracted from 1442 studies published between 1940 and 2020. Records are grouped into five broad habitat categories (aquatic, arable, forest, grassland-including shrubland-and wetland), including information relating to habitat degradation from, or restoration to other habitats (total 14 combinations). Sampling protocols were also extracted for each record, and the database was extensively checked for errors. The location of each record was then used to extract summary climate data and biome classification from external published databases. The database has several potential uses. The large geographical spread relative to many other global biodiversity datasets is relevant for investigating patterns of diversity in biogeographical or macroecological contexts. Habitat type and status (intact, degraded, and restored) can be used to provide insights for biodiversity conservation, while the potential effects of sampling method and effort can be used to inform optimized data collection for future seed bank studies. This database is released under the CC-BY license.

Environmental integrity in two areas of the Paragominas stream in the municipality of the same name, Pará, Brazil

One of the negative aspects of urbanization is the anthropogenic impacts and environmental conditions that alter the Habitat Integrity Index (HII) in urban water bodies. These facts can be studied and analyzed using the HII. The objective of this research was to generate data on the Paragominas stream from the C. do Sacramento highway and Residencial Selecta, in order to show the real state of these two environmental variables, in these two locations, which had not been available until now. The methodology applied was exploratory, observational, qualitative, and quantitative. The results obtained showed that in Area 1, the Constantino Pereira do Sacramento Highway, anthropogenic impacts (∑total = 55) and environmental conditions (∑total = 46) caused an average change in habitat integrity (∑total = 47.2%). In Area 2, Residencial Selecta, 518 m from PA 125, anthropogenic impacts (∑total = 31) caused changes in environmental conditions (∑total = 29), especially in land use and occupation with vegetation suppression, which significantly altered habitat integrity (∑total = 28.6%). Therefore, it can be concluded that urbanization and the construction of marginal residential areas on water bodies cause changes in the habitat of animals and plants, although it still maintains one of the four environmental services: bathing.

Assessment of the Dose-Dependent Effect of Human Platelet Lysate on Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Culture for Manufacturing Protocols.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs)-based products have unique characteristics compared to other drugs because of their inherently variable effects depending on culture conditions and microenvironment. In some cases, cells can be produced individually, one batch at a time, for personalized therapy. Therefore, it is very important to optimize both culture conditions and medium composition under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. MSCs properties have been exploited as potential cell therapies in regenerative medicine. The main mechanism of their protective and regenerative effect is based on their secretory activity. Simultaneously, their secretome is highly variable and sensitive to any change in environmental conditions. Depending on the type of damage and the target application, it is desirable to enhance the secretion of therapeutic factors. Changes in the modulation of environmental conditions can affect survival, migration ability, and both proliferative and clonogenic potentials. This study cultured Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs) in media with varying concentrations of human platelet lysate (hPL). Two groups were created: one with low hPL concentration and another with a high hPL concentration. The effects of these different hPL concentrations were analyzed by assessing mesenchymal phenotype retention, secretory activity, clonogenic potential, proliferation, and migration capabilities. Additionally, the secretion levels of key therapeutic factors, such as Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and Chemokine Ligand 2 (CCL-2), were measured. WJ-MSCs maintained their mesenchymal phenotype regardless of hPL concentration. However, a higher concentration of hPL promoted cell clonogenic potential, proliferation, migration, and increased secretion of therapeutic factors. Adjusting the hPL concentration in the culture medium modulates the response of WJ MSCs and enhances their therapeutic potential. Higher hPL concentration promotes increased secretory activity and improves the regenerative capacity of WJ-MSCs, suggesting a promising strategy to optimize MSC-based therapies.

Previous reproductive success and environmental variation influence nest‐site fidelity of a subarctic‐nesting goose

AbstractNest‐site fidelity is a common strategy in birds and is believed to be adaptive due to familiarity with local conditions. Returning to previously successful nest sites (i.e., the win‐stay lose‐switch strategy) may be beneficial when habitat quality is spatially variable and temporally predictable; however, changes in environmental conditions may constrain dispersal decisions despite previous reproductive success. We used long‐term (2000–2017) capture‐mark‐reencounter data and hierarchical models to examine fine‐scale nest‐site fidelity of emperor geese (Anser canagicus) on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska. Our objectives were to quantify nest‐site dispersal distances, determine whether dispersal distance is affected by previous nest fate, spring timing, or major flooding events on the study area, and determine if nest‐site fidelity is adaptive in that it leads to higher nest survival. Consistent with the win‐stay lose‐switch strategy, expected dispersal distance for individuals that failed their nesting attempt in the previous year was greater (207.7 m, 95% HPDI: 151.1–272.7) than expected dispersal distance for individuals that nested successfully in the previous year (125.5 m, 95% HPDI: 107.1–144.9). Expected dispersal distance was slightly greater following years of major flooding events for individuals that nested successfully, although this pattern was not observed for individuals that failed their nesting attempt. We did not find evidence that expected dispersal distance was influenced by spring timing. Importantly, dispersal distance was positively related to daily survival probability of emperor goose nests for individuals that failed their previous nesting attempt, suggesting an adaptive benefit to the win‐stay lose‐switch strategy. Our results highlight the importance of previous experience and environmental variation for informing dispersal decisions of a long‐lived goose species. However, it is unclear if dispersal decisions based on previous experience will continue to be adaptive as variability in environmental conditions increases in northern breeding areas.

Dictyocaulosis in cattle: Retrospective analysis of 20 outbreaks in Central Argentina

Bovine lungworms (Dictyocaulus viviparus) are nematodes which cause a respiratory disease known as verminous bronchitis or pneumonia. In this paper, we describe 20 outbreaks of bovine dictyocaulosis recorded between 2000 and 2023 in Central Argentina. Outbreaks occurred more frequently during the autumn-winter season (from April to August) and affected cattle under 1 year old in beef production systems. An average morbidity and mortality of 26.22 % and 8.44 % were registered, respectively. The main clinical signs observed were respiratory distress (coughing, tachypnea, dyspnea, and nasal discharge), weight loss, weakness, decubitus, and diarrhea. Necropsies were performed in thirty-one calves, heifers, and steers. Gross findings included diffuse interstitial or multifocal pneumonia, with marbled appearance intermingling atelectasis and red-gray firm areas of consolidation, and subpleural and interlobular emphysema and edema. Microscopically, lungs were characterized by abundant edema and mixed intra-alveolar multifocal to coalescent infiltrate. Frequently, adult worms and/or larvae were spotted in the bronchi or alveoli, respectively. Some cases exhibited proliferation of type 2 pneumocytes and hyaline membranes covering the alveolar septa. Co-infections with gastrointestinal nematodes were frequently found in fecal samples. Given the perspective of anthelmintic resistance and future changes in environmental conditions due to climate change, integrated parasitic control strategies are mandatory and should be tailored to each production system. The information gathered in this research provides an overview of lungworm infections in livestock production systems from Central Argentina and could be useful for surveilling, monitoring and designing strategic interventions for the control of this important parasitic disease in the region.

Controlled drainage with subirrigation systems: Reduce water supply by automatic control

Controlled drainage with subirrigation (CDSI) is a viable measure to supply, retain or discharge groundwater, thereby contributing to freshwater availability in agriculture under changing environmental conditions. Relatively simple CDSI systems can be controlled manually to set a few drainage levels. More advanced systems can be controlled remotely to set any drainage level (between a technical maximum and minimum). CDSI potentially improves hydrological conditions for crop growth, but the required external water supply can be large. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate whether external water supply for subirrigation can be reduced by automatic control of CDSI systems in relation to crop water demand. Field measurements of a CDSI pilot in the Dutch sandy Pleistocene uplands were combined with weather forecasts to simulate the optimal drainage level and day by day water demand and supply using the agro-hydrological Soil, Water, Atmosphere, Plant model (SWAP). Firstly, model simulations showed that the water requirement reduced by 60 mm (dry growing season), 253 mm (average growing season) and 348 mm (wet growing season) using a dynamically managed crest level (CDSI-dyn) compared to using a fixed crest level (CDSI-fix), with minor effects on crop yield. Secondly, model simulations showed that a higher hydraulic resistance to downward seepage, a higher ditch water level or deeper roots reduced the water supply (up to 100 mm). Thirdly, accepting 10 % daily crop drought and oxygen stress for CDSI-dyn reduced the water supply requirement with 235–628 mm (dry vs wet growing season) compared to CDSI-fix. In conclusion, the required water volume for CDSI could be substantially reduced by automated control of the drainage level and water supply rate, while maintaining crop yield or accepting minor reductions, which increases the potential of implementation of CDSI systems.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of groundwater biogeochemistry in the deep subsurface of a high-energy beach

Intertidal sandy beach systems are considered complex biogeochemical reactors. At beach sites that are subject to high tidal and wave energy, seawater circulation can reach tens of meters deep into the subsurface and changing environmental conditions are assumed to lead to dynamic groundwater flow paths, saltwater-freshwater mixing zones, and a spatio-temporally variable groundwater biogeochemistry. Previous studies mainly focused on the upper meters of subterranean estuaries (STE), while the deep subsurface remained a black box. This study presents spatial (cross-shore) and temporal (~six-weekly, over 1.5 years) dynamics of the groundwater biogeochemistry that were observed down to 24 m below the ground surface (mbgs) of a sandy high-energy beach on Spiekeroog Island (Germany).In addition to redox conditions along a cross-shore transect ranging from oxic to Fe oxide reducing/slightly sulfidic, we found a previously unknown, distinct vertical redox zonation as well. Temporal variations of the biogeochemistry within low salinity groundwater at the most landward station close to the dune base were mainly driven by storm flood related seawater infiltration. Around the high water line, the extent of the upper saline plume (USP) varied over time. Furthermore, temporal dynamics of the O2 saturation at 6 mbgs indicated a seasonally shifting depth of the oxycline at this location. In the lower intertidal zone, groundwater solute concentrations displayed a temporally variable zone of deep freshwater discharge.Regarding the impact of the deep STE on the groundwater biogeochemistry of the discharge zone, our data revealed that nutrient, Mn, and Fe release along the deep flow paths through the USP towards the discharge zone was limited, likely due decreasing availability of labile organic matter and subsequent slowing down of metabolic processes with depth. High concentrations of metabolites in the upper ~2 mbgs of the discharge zone were, therefore, rather attributed to the incorporation of labile organic matter during continuous and storm flood related sediment relocation and/or the contribution of older waters, e.g., the subtidal saltwater wedge.

CO2 and CH4 Concentrations in Headwater Wetlands Influenced by Morphology and Changing Hydro-Biogeochemical Conditions

AbstractHeadwater wetlands are important sites for carbon storage and emissions. While local- and landscape-scale factors are known to influence wetland carbon biogeochemistry, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of these factors limits our predictive understanding of wetland carbon dynamics. To address this issue, we examined relationships between carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentrations with wetland hydrogeomorphology, water level, and biogeochemical conditions. We sampled water chemistry and dissolved gases (CO2 and CH4) and monitored continuous water level at 20 wetlands and co-located upland wells in the Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland, every 1–3 months for 2 years. We also obtained wetland hydrogeomorphologic metrics at maximum inundation (area, perimeter, and volume). Wetlands in our study were supersaturated with CO2 (mean = 315 μM) and CH4 (mean = 15 μM), highlighting their potential role as carbon sources to the atmosphere. Spatial and temporal variability in CO2 and CH4 concentrations was high, particularly for CH4, and both gases were more spatially variable than temporally. We found that groundwater is a potential source of CO2 in wetlands and CO2 decreases with increased water level. In contrast, CH4 concentrations appear to be related to substrate and nutrient availability and to drying patterns over a longer temporal scale. At the landscape scale, wetlands with higher perimeter:area ratios and wetlands with higher height above the nearest drainage had higher CO2 and CH4 concentrations. Understanding the variability of CO2 and CH4 in wetlands, and how these might change with changing environmental conditions and across different wetland types, is critical to understanding the current and future role of wetlands in the global carbon cycle.

Assessment of Growth and Yield Characteristics of a Greenhouse Hybrid and a Dual-Purpose Tomato Cultivar under Different Microclimatic Conditions

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., family Solanaceae) represents one of the most cultivated horticultural crops worldwide. It contains various nutrients, providing health benefits. For better crop management strategies, especially with global warming, it is crucial to investigate how varieties or cultivars bred for different purposes respond to the changing macro or microenvironmental conditions. This research aimed to assess the growth, reproductive development and selected quality parameters of two tomato varieties, ‘Sylviana’ (a greenhouse hybrid) and ‘Bolseno’ (a dual-purpose variety), under a greenhouse environment. The study was conducted in the mid-country wet zone of Sri Lanka where the intensive-control greenhouse (T1) maintained a favourable air temperature (<33°C) for crop growth compared to high daytime temperatures of semi-intensive (T2) and less-intensive (T3) greenhouses (up to 36°C). In ‘Bolseno’, vegetative growth parameters were significantly affected (P<0.05) by different environments but not in ‘Sylviana’ (P>0.05). T1 resulted in the highest mean fruit weight and mean fruit diameter in both varieties. Since ‘Sylviana’ performed well in all three growing environments, the fruit quality was assessed by measuring the antioxidant activity (AOX) and total phenolic content (TPC) using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and Folin–Ciocalteu method, respectively. Significantly higher AOX (P<0.05) was reported in T1 while T2 had a higher TPC. The results revealed that different tomato genotypes respond differently to changes in micro environmental conditions in terms of growth and some reproductive traits, and the same variety grown in different conditions had different TPC and AOX.

Eukaryotic cell size regulation and its implications for cellular function and dysfunction.

Depending on cell type, environmental inputs, and disease, the cells in the human body can have widely different sizes. In recent years, it has become clear that cell size is a major regulator of cell function. However, we are only beginning to understand how the optimization of cell function determines a given cell's optimal size. Here, we review currently known size control strategies of eukaryotic cells and the intricate link of cell size to intracellular biomolecular scaling, organelle homeostasis, and cell cycle progression. We detail the cell size-dependent regulation of early development and the impact of cell size on cell differentiation. Given the importance of cell size for normal cellular physiology, cell size control must account for changing environmental conditions. We describe how cells sense environmental stimuli, such as nutrient availability, and accordingly adapt their size by regulating cell growth and cell cycle progression. Moreover, we discuss the correlation of pathological states with misregulation of cell size and how for a long time this was considered a downstream consequence of cellular dysfunction. We review newer studies that reveal a reversed causality, with misregulated cell size leading to pathophysiological phenotypes such as senescence and aging. In summary, we highlight the important roles of cell size in cellular function and dysfunction, which could have major implications for both diagnostics and treatment in the clinic.

Fungi of the Arctic Seas

The abundance and diversity of mycelial fungi in the bottom sediments of the Arctic Ocean seas (the Greenland, Barents and Kara seas) were studied. Samples of the surface bottom sediments were collected during the 84th (July‒August 2021) and 86th (October‒November 2021) cruises of RV Akademik Mstislav Keldysh. The taxonomic affiliation of the isolated fungi was determined using polyphasic taxonomy. The isolated fungi belonged to 16 genera of different classes of ascomycetous, basidiomycetous, and zygomycetous fungi. The effect of cultivation temperature and different NaCl concentrations on fungal growth was determined, as well as the effect of cultivation conditions on the fatty acid profile for the strains capable of growth on media with increased osmotic potential. While fatty acid composition was shown to be affected by changes in environmental conditions, the response to osmotic stress differed among the studied cultures from deep-sea sediments.

A Dataset for Species Distribution Modelling of Mangroves in Vietnam: Based on the National Forest Inventory Monitoring

Mangroves provides essential ecosystem services such as protection of coastal areas, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision for diverse species in coastal ecosystems. Species distribution models (SDMs) are powerful tools for predicting the potential distribution of mangrove species, which support impact assessments of climate changes on biodiversity and ecological functions of mangrove ecosystems. A comprehensive dataset for mangrove occurrence information derived from the Forest Inventory Map of Vietnam was designed to facilitate the building and projection of SDMs. The prediction data designed for training SDMs integrates ecological information including 701 field survey-based mangrove occurrences at the genus level and 21 environmental variables such as bioclimatic variables, digital elevation model and soil properties with 1 km spatial resolution. The projection data for provide sets of predictors aligned with four shared socioeconomic pathways scenarios representing two future periods to support the projection of SDM results under future climate conditions in Vietnam. This dataset serves as a valuable ecological information resource, enabling the modeling and predicting of potential mangrove habitats and distributions for the protection and restoration of mangroves in Vietnam under changing environmental conditions.