Great Diversity Research Articles

Variation in the Photosynthetic Leaf Pigments of Different Basil (Ocimum spp.) Genotypes under Varying Conditions at the Flowering Stage

Basil is a culinary herb in high demand all year round, either fresh, dried, or frozen. Field basil crops are commercially predominant, while greenhouse crops can cover the demand for fresh basil during the off-season. The leaf aspect of basil has great importance for the food industry, and a great diversity of genotypes has been created. The aim of this research was to conduct a comparative characterization of 12 basil genotypes (green and purple leaf) that present interest for breeding programs from a national germplasm collection. The study examines the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments in basil cultivated in field versus greenhouse conditions as indicators of plant performance and herb quality from the perspective of ensuring fresh plant material all year round. The experimental median indicated that photosynthetic leaf pigments accumulated in higher concentrations in the field relative to the greenhouse conditions, in descending order: β-carotene, lutein, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b. The trend was not as consistent for chlorophyll b, since four out of twelve genotypes presented higher levels in the greenhouse than in the field, while the overall values were not much lower in the greenhouse than the field (16.82%). All genotypes accumulated much higher carotenoid contents in field conditions relative to greenhouse conditions (>200%) and could also provide better nutritional advantages given their demonstrated health benefits. The differences in photosynthetic leaf pigments have both nutritional (the carotenoids), shelf-life, and processing relevance (chlorophylls) and serve as quality markers.

Versatile Synthesis of α‐Oxygen Organoboron Compounds via Photo‐Induced Siloxycarbene†

Comprehensive SummaryA novel method for synthesizing α‐oxygen organoboron compounds has been developed through acylsilane‐based carbene insertion reactions into C—B bonds. As coupling partners, readily available organoboron compounds (alkenyl, allyl, and allenyl B(pin)) were employed. Based on the substrates, pure insertion into C—B bonds or insertion followed by a siloxy group rearrangement process (from carbon to boron) would occur, delivering the α‐oxygen organoboron compounds with great diversities. Control experiments demonstrated that the electronic effect of the substituents mainly controlled the rearrangement process. Besides, no matter which isomer of substrate (Z or E) was used, the reaction with β‐aryl‐substituted alkenyl B(pin) affords both isomers of products (Z and E, separable through column chromatography). Trapping experiments indicated the triplet energy transfer process was involved.

Profiles of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Coastal Aquatic Environment of Xiamen City

The coastal areas and the adjacent islands are the hotspots of human economic and social activities, including urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural practices, which have profound impacts on the ecological environment of the coastal environment. Antibiotic resistance genes （ARGs）, as emerging contaminants, have become hot topics in water ecological security and public concern. However, the profiles of antibiotic resistome in the costal water remain largely unknown, impeding resistome risk assessment associated with coastal environments. In this study, the high-throughput quantitative PCR technique was used to investigate the abundance and distribution of ARGs in the coastal environment of Xiamen City. Combined with the 16S rDNA gene amplicon sequencing method, the structure and composition of the microbial community in a water environment were investigated, and the influencing factors and associated mechanism of ARGs in seawater were deeply explained. The results of this study showed that a total of 187 ARGs were detected in the coastal water environment, and the abundance level was up to 1.29×1010 copies·L-1. Multidrug resistance, aminoglycosides, and β lactamase resistance genes were the three main classes of antibiotic resistance genes in the water environment of the Xiamen coastal zone. On the whole, the profile of ARGs was of high abundance, great diversity, and common co-existence, and the coastal water environment was an important hot area and reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes. Twenty-two microbes, including Nautella, Candidatus, Tenacibaculum, Rubripirellula, and Woeseia, were potential carriers of the corresponding 16 antibiotic resistance genes. The mobile genetic elements （MGEs） and microbial community structure accounted for 93.9% of the variation in environmental resistance genes in water. Therefore, microbial community and its mobile genetic elements were the most important driving forces for the occurrence and evolution of ARGs in coastal waters. Based on the results, it is implied that the environmental antibiotic resistance genes in the waters near Xiamen Island have potential risks to water ecological security and human health and highlight the necessity for comprehensive surveillance of ARGs associated with microbial contamination in the coastal aquatic environment.

Exploring the impacts of COVID‐19 on births in Italy, 2020−2022

AbstractDuring the different phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic, conception trends in developed countries varied in profoundly different ways. Scholars have proposed a variety of explanations for these differences, often related to the particular socioeconomic context and social groups of a given nation, highlighting the need for country‐specific, in‐depth analyses. Italy was one of the countries where the number of conceptions resulting in a birth significantly decreased during the first wave of COVID‐19 (March‐May 2020) and again during April‐August 2021. Italy also stands out for its great internal diversity, especially in the first wave of the pandemic. As individual data are not available, fully analysing all the possible causes of the variations in conceptions that occurred in Italy during the pandemic is not possible. However, using national monthly series on deaths, births, and induced abortions by age of mother, contraceptives' sales, and monthly data on births and deaths in the 107 provinces, we explore some Italian peculiarities. We speculate about the plausibility of some interpretations of the monthly fluctuations in conceptions and contraceptive sales, in particular on the effect of the forced separation between noncohabiting partners during the different types of lockdown and on the uncertainty that may have affected couples in the areas hardest hit by Covid‐19 and during the first part of 2021.

Analysis of viral diversity in dogs with acute gastroenteritis from Brazilian Amazon

Viral gastroenteritis is commonly reported in dogs and involves a great diversity of enteric viruses. In this research, viral diversity was investigated in dogs with diarrhea in Northern Brazil using shotgun metagenomics. Furthermore, the presence of norovirus (NoV) was investigated in 282 stool/rectal swabs of young/adult dogs with or without diarrhea from two public kennels, based on one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for genogroup VI and VII (GVI and GVII) and real-time RT-PCR for GI, GII, and GIV. Thirty-one viral families were identified, including bacteriophages. Phylogenetic analyses showed twelve complete or nearly complete genomes belonging to the species of Protoparvovirus carnivoran1, Mamastrovirus 5, Aichivirus A2, Alphacoronavirus 1, and Chipapillomavirus 1. This is the first description of the intestinal virome of dogs in Northern Brazil and the first detection of canine norovirus GVII in the country. These results are important for helping to understand the viral groups that circulate in the canine population.

Metabolic and Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Flavonoid Involvement in the Drought Stress Response of Mulberry Leaves.

Abiotic stress, especially drought stress, poses a significant threat to terrestrial plant growth, development, and productivity. Although mulberry has great genetic diversity and extensive stress-tolerant traits in agroforestry systems, only a few reports offer preliminary insight into the biochemical responses of mulberry leaves under drought conditions. In this study, we performed a comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis on the "drooping mulberry" (Morus alba var. pendula Dippel) under PEG-6000-simulated drought stress. Our research revealed that drought stress significantly enhanced flavonoid accumulation and upregulated the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were elevated. In vitro enzyme assays and fermentation tests indicated the involvement of flavonol synthase/flavanone 3-hydroxylase (XM_010098126.2) and anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase 5 (XM_010101521.2) in the biosynthesis of flavonol aglycones and glycosides, respectively. The recombinant MaF3GT5 protein was found to recognize kaempferol, quercetin, and UDP-glucose as substrates but not 3-/7-O-glucosylated flavonols and UDP-rhamnose. MaF3GT5 is capable of forming 3-O- and 7-O-monoglucoside, but not di-O-glucosides, from kaempferol. This implies its role as a flavonol 3, 7-O-glucosyltransferase. The findings from this study provided insights into the biosynthesis of flavonoids and could have substantial implications for the future diversified utilization of mulberry.

Kidney Biopsy Findings After Lung Transplantation

The early diagnosis of histological kidney damage after lung transplantation (LT) is of paramount importance given the negative prognostic implications of kidney disease. Three pathologists analyzed all kidney biopsies (KBs) (N= 100) performed from 2010 to 2021 on lung transplant patients in 4 Paris transplantation centers. The main indication for biopsy was chronic renal dysfunction (72% of patients). Biopsies were performed at a median of 26.3 months after transplantation and 15 months after a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or the onset of proteinuria. Biopsies revealed a wide spectrum of chronic lesions involving the glomerular, vascular, and tubulointerstitial compartments. The 4 most frequent final diagnoses, observed in 18% to 49% of biopsies, were arteriosclerosis, acute calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) toxicity, thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and acute tubular necrosis (ATN). TMA was significantly associated with a combination of mTOR inhibitors (mTORi) or CNIs with biological signs present in only 50% of patients. The eGFR was poorly correlated with most lesions, particularly percent glomerulosclerosis, and with the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Thirty-four patients progressed to ESRD at an average of 20.1 months after biopsy. Three factors were independently associated with the risk of ESRD: postoperative dialysis, proteinuria >3 g/g and percent glomerulosclerosis >4%. Given the great diversity of renal lesions observed in lung transplant recipients, early referral to nephrologists for KB should be considered for these patients when they present with signs of kidney disease.

Neutron Vibrational Spectroscopic Study of the Acetylene: Ammonia (1:1) Cocrystal Relevant to Titan, Saturn's Moon.

The surface of Titan, Saturn's icy moon, is believed to be composed of various molecular minerals with a great diversity in structure and composition. Under the surface conditions, 93 K and 1.45 atm, most small molecules solidify and form minerals, including acetylene and ammonia. These two compounds can not only form single-component solids but also a 1:1 binary cocrystal that exhibits intriguing rotor phase behavior. This cocrystal is a putative mineral on Titan and other planetary bodies such as comets. In addition, the structure of the cocrystal is relevant to fundamental science as it can help better understand the emergence of rotor phases. Here, we present a detailed vibrational neutron spectroscopic study supported by a neutron powder diffraction study on the cocrystal and the single-phase solids. The experimentally observed spectral bands were assigned based on theoretical calculations. The established spectra-properties correlations for the cocrystal corroborate the observed properties. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first example of the application of neutron vibrational spectroscopy in studying Titan-relevant organic minerals.

New findings on the karyotype and distribution of two Rhipidomys Tschudi, 1845 species (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) from Upper Purus River

Abstract Rhipidomys is a Sigmodontinae genus with a great diversity in western Amazonia, including Rhipidomys gardneri and Rhipidomys leucodactylus. These species shared the same diploid number of 44, however, two fundamental numbers were attributed to R. leucodactylus and one to R. gardneri. A new karyotype for R. leucodactylus is described, with a diploid and fundamental number shared by other Rhipidomys species. Data confirmed three karyotypes for R. leucodactylus, only one for R. gardneri, the presence of R. leucodactylus in the Brazilian state of Acre and extend the distribution of R. gardneri to Manoel Urbano, in Acre, showing both species occurring in the high Purus River basin.

Unearthing Grape Heritage: Morphological Relationships between Late Bronze-Iron Age Grape Pips and Modern Cultivars.

The grapevine was one of the earliest domesticated fruit crops and has been cultivated since ancient times. It is considered one of the most important fruit crops worldwide for wine and table grape production. The current grape varieties are the outcome of prolonged selection initiated during the domestication process of their wild relative. Recent genetic studies have shed light on the origins of the modern domestic grapevine in western Europe, suggesting that its origin stems from the introgression between eastern domestic grapes and western wild grapes. However, the origin of ancient grapevines remains largely unexplored. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of 2228 well-preserved waterlogged archaeological grape pips from two sites in Sardinia (Italy), dated to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1300-1100 BC) and the Iron Age (4th and 3rd centuries BC). Using morphometrics and linear discriminant analyses, we compared the archaeological grape pips with modern reference collections to differentiate between wild and domestic grape types and to investigate similarities with 330 modern cultivars. Grape pips from the Late Bronze Age displayed a high percentage of similarity with domesticated grapevines, with a small percentage assigned to wild ones, while the majority of grape pips from the Iron Age were classified as domestic. Discriminant analyses revealed that both white and red grape varieties were cultivated during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, suggesting a high level of diversification in grape cultivation. Furthermore, a high percentage of archaeological grape pips from both periods showed strong similarities with modern cultivars from the Caucasus and Balkans. This suggests that the great diversity of grapevines present in Sardinia could result from interbreeding between western Asian cultivars and local grapevines that began in the Late Bronze Age. Additionally, a substantial proportion of archaeological grape pips exhibited similar morphometric characteristics to two important Mediterranean grape cultivars: "Muscat à petits grains blancs" and "Garnacha".

Comparative evaluation of culture results and composition of microbiome of removed tonsils due to distant focal disease or other reasons. Aprospective pilot study.

The aim of this prospective pilot study was to compare culture and microbiome results of the removed tonsils of patients with assumed distant focal disease (11 patients) and those who underwent a tonsillectomy, due to other reasons, such as recurrent tonsillitis, tonsil stones or snoring (nine patients). Aerobic culture was carried out for samples taken from the surface of the tonsils by swabs before tonsillectomy for all 20 patients. The squeezed detritus and the tissue samples of removed tonsils, taken separately for the right and left tonsils, were incubated aerobically and anaerobically. The microbiome composition of tissue samples of removed tonsils was also evaluated. Based on the culture results of the deep samples Staphylococcus aureus was the dominating pathogen, besides a great variety of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria present in the oral microbiota in those patients who underwent tonsillectomy due to distant focal diseases. Microbiome study of the core tissue samples showed a great diversity on genus and species level among patients of the two groups however, S. aureus and Prevotella nigrescens were present in higher proportion in those, whose tonsils were removed due to distant focal diseases. Our results may support previous findings about the possible triggering role of S. aureus and P.nigrescens leading to distant focal diseases. Samples taken by squeezing the tonsils could give more information about the possible pathogenic/triggering bacteria than the surface samples cultured only aerobically.

Assessment of Recreational Activities and Greening of Urban-Parks in Kharkiv

Abstract Urban-parks, as sports and gaming locations, are a new type of landscape facilities in Ukraine, the first of which were created in Kharkiv. The three urban-parks in Kharkiv have been studied: Molodizhnyi, Saltivskyi and urban-park on Yuriyeva Bulevard. Recreational studies and plant inventories have been conducted to determine the popularity of the parks in 2021. The recreation surveys considered two indicators: the degree of recreation and the length of time visitors spent in the park. Field surveys were conducted in August and October. Saltivskyi urban-park was the most visited, and Molodizhnyi park was the least visited. The presence of playgrounds for pre-school children and children with disabilities makes Saltivskyy more attractive. The calculation of the average length of stay of the visitors on the territory showed that the visitors spend from 1,3 h/day to 1,77 h/day in the urban-parks. It is possible to identify shortcomings in the design of urban parks and make suggestions for their improvement based on the results of recreational load and greenery inventory assessment in urban-parks. The inventory showed that the area of green spaces in the urban-parks has decreased as a result of reconstruction. The level of greenery in Saltivskyi and Molodizhnyi urban parks is rather low and does not meet national regulatory requirements. There are 28 plant taxa of 11 families used in landscaping of the urban-parks, the greatest diversity in Molodizhnyi has been observed. It is necessary to optimize the existing assortment of plants. Some of them are not in a good sanitary condition, which has a negative impact on the overall decorative appearance of the plants and the parks in general.

Allopolyploidization events and immense paleogenome reshuffling underlying the diversification of plants and secondary metabolites in Oleaceae

AbstractOleaceae, a eudicot family with great species diversity, has attracted much attention from botanists because it contains many plants with important economic, medicinal, and ornamental values. However, the history of polyploidization and ancestral genome reshuffling of Oleaceae remains unclear. Here, we clarified an Oleaceae‐common hexaploidization (OCH) event occurring at ~53–61 million years ago (Ma) common in all Oleaceae plants and an Oleaceae‐recent tetraploidization (ORT) event occurring at ~18–21 Ma shared by the lineages of Syringa, Olea, Osmanthus, and Fraxinus. We found that high‐frequency polyploidization events drove the frequency of gene loss in Oleaceae genomes and extended the size of regions containing adjacent gene loss, thereby promoting the degree of genome fragmentation. We revealed that biased fractionation between the OCH‐ and ORT‐produced subgenomes is likely attributed to the origin of allopolyploidization in the OCH and ORT events. Significantly, through paleochromosome rearrangement comparisons, we proposed a "two‐step" genome duplication model for OCH and determined the duplicated orders of OCH tripled genome. We reconstructed 11 protochromosomes of the most recent ancestral Oleaceae karyotype (AOK) and elucidated the trajectories of immense paleochromosome reorganization of Oleaceae species from ancestral eudicot karyotype. Notably, we tracked the diversification history of secondary metabolite synthesis genes in the Oleaceae and explored the effects of paleogenome evolution on specialized metabolite synthesis. Our findings provide new insights into the polyploidization and paleogenomic evolution of Oleaceae and have important scientific significance for understanding the genetic basis of species and secondary metabolic diversity in Oleaceae.

Evolution of fossoriality in microteiid lizards

Abstract Morphology is among the most important traits influencing the interaction of individual animals with their environments. Fossoriality reflects this functional association between morphology and the use of subterranean habitats and their associated environmental characteristics. Lizards in the families Gymnophthalmidae and Alopoglossidae are model organisms to examine the interplay between morphology and fossoriality because great morphological diversity exists among species, including varying degrees of body elongation and limb reduction, and they have a wide geographical distribution in the Neotropical region. We analysed the morphology of 101 microteiid species and created an index to evaluate their degree of fossoriality. From this index, we traced the evolution of fossoriality in these lizards and assessed its primary environmental correlates. We found that fossoriality evolved independently in several lineages, mainly associated with high temperature and low precipitation, characteristic of more arid and sandy environments.

Silicoflagellates and other siliceous micro- and nannofossils from Rupelian diatomites, southeastern Poland

The Eocene-Oligocene Transition is one of the major stages of the Cenozoic reshaping of the world oceans with associated changes in climate, of ocean coastlines and circulation patterns. This altogether created challenging environments for fossilization and preservation of native biota. Consequently, well preserved Oligocene fossils are infrequent worldwide and just as rare in the Central Paratethys. The well-preserved Rupelian (Early Oligocene) diatomites from the Skole Nappe, the external unit of the Outer Carpathians in southeastern Poland were deposited in the Central Paratethys. In some samples, in addition to diatoms, sediments also contain a great diversity of other silicified micro- and nannofossils. Here we report our findings of silicoflagellates (fifteen taxa from five genera), two rotosphaeridians, and several morphotypes of fossil scales, some of uncertain taxonomic affinity. Among silicoflagellates, the most common are species from genera Corbisema (C. triacantha, C. hastata, and C. apiculata) and Dictyocha (D. clinata and D. fibula). We also recovered scales of rotosphaeridians (Pinaciophora and possibly Rabdiophrys) and remains of organisms of uncertain affinity (Clathropyxidella and Macrora) often reported together with silicoflagellates. All of these taxa are the first reports for the Central Paratethys. Silicoflagellate species composition is consistent with the datums derived from other fossils. Silicoflagellates, marine diatoms and archaeomonads suggest a neritic depositional environment.

On the problems of education of national minorities in Kazakhstan in the 20s and 30s of the XXcentury (on the materials of Northern Kazakhstan)

The article is an analysis of the problem of education of national minorities in Kazakhstan in the 20–30 years of the XX centuries.The focus of the researchers is on the initial period of Soviet power, when the processes of modernization and national self-determination intensified in the country. The main trends in the creation of the school system of national minorities, such as the opening of national schools, national cultural and educa-tional institutions, training of national teaching staff are considered. The peculiarity of the ethnic structure of the population of Kazakhstan in the studied period was the diversity of its national composition as a result of the active resettlement policy of the Russian Empire and migration processes of the Soviet period. The au-thors also pay attention to regional peculiarities in the development of the school system in Kazakhstan.The specificity of Northern Kazakhstan was that the German, Ukrainian, and Tatar populations were represented to a greater extent here; accordingly, the provincial education authorities paid special attention to the creation of schools for these ethnic groups, the number of which was increasing every year. The authors dwell sepa-rately on the problems and difficulties encountered by local education authorities —the lack of educational literature in the native language, the lack of basic conditions for organizing educational activities for national minorities, weak teaching staff, and the lack of experience in carrying out effective work to solve these prob-lems. The main reasons for overcoming these difficulties were the great diversity and dispersion of the popuation of Kazakhstan, the peculiarities of its economic way of life, the colonial past, the lack of specialists in local authorities to solve the problems of national minorities, the lack of funds for the development of nation-al schools.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the ethanolic extract of Seaweed Asparagopsis spp. Isolated from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

The marine zone of Bangladesh covers a great diversity of natural ecosystems including a marine environment rich in commercially important seaweeds. Seaweeds are widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical, antibacterial, and food industries globally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan are the top five nations in the world for seaweed production. In recent times, Bangladesh has initiated comprehensive research endeavours focused on seaweed, recognizing its immense potential across diverse sectors. Seaweed in Bangladesh is primarily harvested for various purposes, including food, medicine, and industrial applications. In this study, red seaweed Asparagopsis collected from the coast of Saint Martin’s island of the Bay of Bengal was tested for its bioactive properties like anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity. Anti-inflammatory test was done using carrageenan suspension and three analgesic tests e.g. hot plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, and formic acid-induced test were performed in mice model in the laboratory with 50% ethanol extract of Asparagopsis. Following in vivo testing, no significant activity was observed. However, Asparagopsis was found to be rich in phytochemicals like phenols, flavonoids, saponin, glycoside, steroids, tannins, and alkaloids suggesting its importance for future scientific study. This may create a door to a new world in the Blue Economy sector of Bangladesh. Bioresearch Commu. 10(2): 1583-1591, 2024 (July)

Биотопическое распределение пауков-кругопрядов (Aranei: Araneidae) острова Аскольд (залив Петра Великого, Приморье)

The article presents the data on the species composition, abundance, spatial and biotopical distribution of orb-weaver spiders on Askold Island, located in Russia's Far East, in the Peter the Great Gulf (Primorsky Krai). The material was collected from 21 key sites of 3 x 25 m, by entomological sweeping and manually. A total of 507 spiders, belonging to 13 species from 8 genera, were captured. Of these, one species - Singa hamate - is indicated for the first time. On the island the most widespread spiders are of the genus Araneus, living in 11 out of 13 types of biotopes. For this genus, the most favorable are forest habitats, dominated by A. ishisawai and A. ventricosus. In open meadow biotopes, 8 species of spiders from 6 genera were recorded, with Neoscona adianta dominating: reaching the density of 29 specimens per 100 m2 in open plant communities with predominance of Artemisia gmelinii. In various parts of the island within linden and broad-leaved multi-species forests, the greatest diversity and abundance of orb-weaver spiders is recorded. There spiders from 3 genera (5 species of each) were caught. Their total density is 42.5 specimens per 100 m2. Stony beaches, stretching along the entire coast of the island, are characterized by the poorest faunal composition. One species encountered was Araneus ventricosus (4 specimens per 100 m2). For the Askold Island, a series of schematic distribution maps for the common species of orb-weaver spiders (A. ishisawai, A. ventricosus, A. macacus, Argiope bruennichi, Neoscona adianta, Plebs sachalinensis) has been compiled for the first time.

High-throughput screening carbon and nitrogen sources to promote growth and sporulation in Rhizopus arrhizus

Rhizopus arrhizus is a saprotrophic, sometimes clinically- and industrially-relevant mold (Mucorales) and distributed worldwide, suggesting it can assimilate a broad spectrum of substrates. Here, 69 strains of R. arrhizus were investigated by using the Biolog FF MicroPlate for the profiles of utilizing 95 carbon and nitrogen substrates. The study showed that most R. arrhizus strains were similar in average well color development (AWCD) and substrate richness (SR). Nevertheless, 13 strains were unique in principal component analyses, heatmap, AWCD, and SR analyses, which may imply a niche differentiation within R. arrhizus. The species R. arrhizus was able to utilize all the 95 carbon and nitrogen substrates, consistent with the hypothesis of a great metabolic diversity. It possessed a substrate preference of alcohols, and seven substrates were most frequently utilized, with N-acetyl-d-galactosamine and l-phenylalanine ranking at the top of the list. Eight substrates, especially l-arabinose and xylitol, were capable of promoting sporulation and being applied for rejuvenating degenerated strains. By phenotyping R. arrhizus strains in carbon and nitrogen assimilation capacity, this study revealed the extent of intra-specific variability and laid a foundation for estimating optimum substrates that may be useful for industrial applications.

Small island but great diversity: thirty six species of Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae, lichenized Ascomycota), including sixteen new species, on Réunion (Mascarenes), with additional data from the Western Indian Ocean

This work is part of our taxonomical and phylogenetic studies on the lichen flora of Réunion (Mascarene Archipelago, Indian Ocean). Thirty-six species belonging to the conspicuous genus Parmotrema are recognized on the island, sixteen being new to science: P. aurantioreagens, P. brachyblepharum, P. crossotum, P. eleonomum, P. intonsum (also found in Madagascar), P. mezierii, P. mascarenense (also found in Mauritius), P. mirum, P. nemorum, P. nephophilum, P. occultum, P. orarium, P. paramascarenense (also found in Madagascar), P. reunionicum, P. subdeflectens (also found in Madagascar) and P. udisilvestre (also found in Madagascar). Parmotrema mwaliense is a further new species found on the island of Mohéli (Comoros). Three new combinations are introduced: Parmotrema inexspectatum, P. meiospermum and P. odontatum. We propose synonymization of P. acrotrychum with P. subcorallinum. The following species are confirmed or reported as new to Réunion: P. austrosinense, P. cetratum, P. cf. clavuliferum, P. cooperi, P. crinitum, P. cristiferum, P. cf. deflectens, P. dilatatum, P. mellissii, P. cf. negrosorientale, P. praesorediosum, P. reticulatum, P. robustum, P. subcorallinum, P. subisidiosum, and P. tinctorum. Parmotrema appendiculatum and P. thomsonii are only known to Réunion from single reports, poorly documented, dating back to the 19th century; detailed descriptions with photographs, distribution maps and ecological data are provided for the other species. An identification key for the 36 species is provided. Parmotrema austrosinense and P. cf. negrosorientale are newly reported, and P. meiospermum confirmed, for Mauritius; the Papuan P. menyamyaense is newly reported for Mohéli (Comoros). One hundred and seventy-four new sequences for the barcode ITS loci have been produced, an increase of ca. one third for Parmotrema on GenBank. LSU, mtSSU and EF1-α loci have been added for subgroups. The molecular data highlight the existence of two pairs of ‘nearly’ cryptic species (P. crinitum/P. occultum, P. brachyblepharum/P. eleonomum), high variability in the production of vegetative propagules in two of the new species described (P. nephophilum, P. orarium), and two strongly supported clades including potential endemics to Réunion or the MIOI (Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands) biodiversity hotspot. One clade comprises 10 species (P. brachyblepharum, P. crossotum, P. eleonomum, P. intonsum, P. mezierii, P. cf. negrosorientale, P. nemorum, P. subcorallinum, P. subdeflectens and P. udisilvestre), eight described as new for science, the other five species (P. aurantioreagens, P. mascarenense, P. meiospermum, P. odontatum and P. orarium), three of them new for science.