ABSTRACT
Five halophytic plant species, Suaeda maritima, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda australis, Phragmites australis, and Suaeda glauca Bunge, which are native to the Muan salt marsh of South Korea, were examined for fungal endophytes by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region containing ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2. In total, 160 endophytic fungal strains were isolated and identified from the roots of the 5 plant species. Taxonomically, all 160 strains belonged to the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota. The most dominant genus was Fusarium, followed by the genera Penicillium and Alternaria. Subsequently, using 5 statistical methods, the diversity indices of the endophytes were determined at genus level. Among these halophytic plants, P. australis was found to host the greatest diversity of endophytic fungi. Culture filtrates of endophytic fungi were treated to Waito-C rice seedlings for plant growth-promoting effects. The fungal strain Su-3-4-3 isolated from S. glauca Bunge provide the maximum plant length (20.1 cm) in comparison with wild-type Gibberella fujikuroi (19.6 cm). Consequently, chromatographic analysis of the culture filtrate of Su-3-4-3 showed the presence of physiologically active gibberellins, GA(1) (0.465 ng/mL), GA(3) (1.808 ng/mL) along with other physiologically inactive GA(9) (0.054 ng/mL) and GA(24) (0.044 ng/mL). The fungal isolate Su-3-4-3 was identified as Talaromyces pinophilus.
Subject(s)
Alternaria , Ascomycota , Basidiomycota , Chenopodiaceae , Endophytes , Fungi , Fusarium , Genetic Variation , Gibberella , Gibberellins , Korea , Penicillium , Plants , Plumbaginaceae , Salt-Tolerant Plants , Seedlings , Talaromyces , WetlandsABSTRACT
Assessing the impacts of climate changes on water quality requires an understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals. Evidence from research on alluvial aquifers and coastal watersheds shows direct impacts of climate change on the fate and transformation of trace metals in natural environments. The case studies presented here use field data and numerical modeling techniques to test assumptions about the effects of climate change on natural arsenic contamination of groundwater in alluvial aquifers and mercury bioaccumulation in coastal salt marshes. The results show that the rises of sea level and river base during the warm Holocene period has led to an overall increase in groundwater arsenic concentration due to the development of reducing geochemical
ABSTRACT
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort on concanavalin-A induced stress in Wistar albino rats have been reported. Rats were administered with ethanolic extract of Suaeda maritima at the concentration of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg of body wt. for 9 days and concanavalin-A was administrated (iv) 12 mg/kg on 9th day. Rats in concanavalin-A administered group showed elevated levels of AST, ALT, ALP and bilurubin. Pretreatment of rats with ethanolic extract (300 mg/kg) significantly reduced these serum parameters compared to concavalin-A administered group. Histopathological examination of liver sections showed that, normal liver architecture was disturbed by hepatotoxin intoxication. The extract treated group and silymarin treated group retained the normal cell architecture, although less visible changes were observed. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of triterpenioids and may be responsible for the hepatoprotective activity. The LD50 was calculated as 3 g/kg of the body weight. IC50 values of hydroxyl (52.21±1.32g/ml) and nitric oxide radicals (09.14±0.94 g/ml) scavenging results showed comparable activity with vitamin-C. Results of this study may be useful for the development of herbal medicine from Suaeda maritima for the treatment of hepatitis.
ABSTRACT
Natural diet of Neohelice granulata in two salt marshes of Lagoa dos Patos, RS were studied. Sampling was performed seasonally and crabs were captured by hand by three persons during one hour, fixed in formaldehyde (4 percent) during 24 h, transferred to alcohol (70 percent). Each foregut was weighed and repletion level was determined. Differences between sexes in the frequencies of occurrence of items were tested by χ2test. A total of 452 guts were analyzed. Quali-quantitative analyses were calculated following the method of relative frequency occurrence and relative frequency of the points. At both sites, for both sexes and in all seasons, the main food items were sediment, Spartina sp. and plant detritus. The highest values of mean repletion index were estimated for the spring and summer. Analysing both salt marshes, in different seasons significant shifts in the natural diet of Neohelice granulata was not observed throughout the period of study.