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- Catálogo fotográfico de plântulas dos olivais do Baixo Alentejo, PortugalPublication . Saraiva, Rui; Pereira, Ana Júlia; Correia, Ana Isabel; Correia, Otília; Clemente, Adelaide
- Evolution of Flavylium-Based Color Systems in Plants: What Physical Chemistry Can Tell UsPublication . Pina, Fernando; Alejo-Armijo, Alfonso; Clemente, Adelaide; Mendoza, Johan; Seco, André; Basílio, Nuno; Parola, António JorgeAnthocyanins are the basis of the color of angiosperms, 3-deoxyanthocyanins and sphagnorubin play the same role in mosses and ferns, and auronidins are responsible for the color in liverworts. In this study, the color system of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (kuromanin) as a representative compound of simpler anthocyanins was fully characterized by stopped flow. This type of anthocyanin cannot confer significant color to plants without intra- or intermolecular interactions, complexation with metals or supramolecular structures as in Commelina communis. The anthocyanin's color system was compared with those of 3-deoxyanthocyanins and riccionidin A, the aglycone of auronidins. The three systems follow the same sequence of chemical reactions, but the respective thermodynamics and kinetics are dramatically different.
- Bottom-up cascading effects of quarry revegetation deplete bird-mediated seed dispersal servicesPublication . Sampaio, Ana D.; Pereira, Pedro F.; Nunes, Alice; Clemente, Adelaide; Salgueiro, Vânia; Silva, Carmo; Mira, António; Branquinho, Cristina; Salgueiro, Pedro A.Quarrying activities cause profound modifications on ecosystems, such as removal of vegetation cover, biodiversity loss and depletion of ecosystem services. Ecological restoration stands as a solution to revert such effects. Concomitantly, awareness is currently being given on ecosystem services and ecological processes to evaluate restoration efficiency. The objective of the study was to assess restoration success in a quarry subjected to restoration practices for the last 40 years involving the plantation of native Mediterranean vegetation and the non-native Aleppo pine Pinus halepensis. The study was carried out by assessing the effectiveness of seed dispersal service provided by birds in the restored quarry by comparing this service to neighbouring natural (shrubland) and other semi-natural areas (oak-pine mixed open and Aleppo pine forest) present at the landscape. For this purpose, we explored bird composition structure and seed dispersal networks using point counts and faecal samples of mist-netted birds. We also collected vegetation structure data and explored its effect on bird community composition. Our results showed that bird abundance in the restored quarry was significantly lower, and its bird community was compositionally different than natural shrubland and semi-natural areas. For instance, seed-dispersing birds, woody and shrub/ground foragers and partially migrators were the most affected groups at the restored area. Bird community composition and their traits were likely driven by vegetation characteristics, with higher native vegetation cover and fruit richness promoting higher bird abundance and Aleppo pine cover negatively influencing seed-dispersing birds. Concurrently, seed dispersal network in the restored quarry was less complex than in other areas. Seed dispersal services in the restored quarry were below the reported values for neighbouring natural and semi-natural areas and are likely driven by the low abundance of seed-dispersing birds. We consider that the causes affecting this group's low abundance can be related to revegetation measures favouring Aleppo pine, combined with a shallow soil depth and poor soil quality, which may have constrained native vegetation development. We conclude that seed dispersal services at the quarry are depleted, which may suggest a low restoration success concerning ecosystem functioning. Our results strengthen that quarry revegetation with non-native species must be avoided, since it alters bird community composition, and consequently, affects seed dispersal service provided by birds.
- Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change: A Synopsis of Coordinated National Crop Wild Relative Seed Collecting Programs across Five ContinentsPublication . Eastwood R.J., Tambam B.B., Aboagye L.M., Akparov Z.I., Aladele S.E., Allen R., Amri A., Anglin N.L., Araya R., Arrieta-Espinoza G., Asgerov A., Awang K., Awas T., Barata A.M., Boateng S.K., Magos Brehm J., Breidy J., Breman E., Brenes Angulo A., Burle M.L., Castañeda-Álvarez N.P., Casimiro P., Chaves N.F.; Clemente, Adelaide; Cockel C.P., Davey A., De la Rosa L., Debouck D.G., Dempewolf H., Dokmak H., Ellis D., Faruk A., Freitas C., Galstyan S., García R.M., Ghimire K.H., Guarino L., Harker R., Hope R., Humphries A.W., Jamora N., Jatoi S.A., Khutsishvili M., Kikodze D., Kyratzis A.C., León-Lobos P., Liu U., Mainali R.P., Mammadov A.T., Manrique-Carpintero N.C., Manzella D., Ali M.S.M., Medeiros M.B., Mérida Guzmán M.A., Mikatadze-Pantsulaia T., Mohamed E.T.I., Monteros-Altamirano A., Morales A., Müller J.V., Mulumba J.W., Nersesyan A., Nóbrega H., Nyamongo D.O., Obreza M., Okere A.U., Orsenigo S., Ortega-Klose F., Papikyan A., Pearce T.R., Pinheiro de Carvalho M.A.A., Prohens J., Rossi G., Salas A., Shrestha D.S., Siddiqui S.U., Smith P.P., Sotomayor D.A., Tacán M., Tapia C., Toledo A., Toll J., Vu D.T., Vu T.D., Way M.J., Yazbek M., Zorrilla C., Kilian B.The Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change Project set out to improve the diversity, quantity, and accessibility of germplasm collections of crop wild relatives (CWR). Between 2013 and 2018, partners in 25 countries, heirs to the globetrotting legacy of Nikolai Vavilov, undertook seed collecting expeditions targeting CWR of 28 crops of global significance for agriculture. Here, we describe the implementation of the 25 national collecting programs and present the key results. A total of 4587 unique seed samples from at least 355 CWR taxa were collected, conserved ex situ, safety duplicated in national and international genebanks, and made available through the Multilateral System (MLS) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty). Collections of CWR were made for all 28 targeted crops. Potato and eggplant were the most collected genepools, although the greatest number of primary genepool collections were made for rice. Overall, alfalfa, Bambara groundnut, grass pea and wheat were the genepools for which targets were best achieved. Several of the newly collected samples have already been used in pre-breeding programs to adapt crops to future challenges.
- Yellow Lake Pigments from Weld in Art: Investigating the Winsor & Newton 19th Century ArchivePublication . Veneno, Maria; Nabais, Paula; Otero, Vanessa; Clemente, Adelaide; Oliveira, M. Conceição; Melo, Maria JoãoWeld (Reseda luteola) was one of the main sources of yellow dyes used for dyeing textiles and to prepare artists’ pigments in Europe until the 19th century. For the first time, this work explores the technology of preparing weld lake pigments in the 19th century by Winsor & Newton (W&N), a renowned supplier of artists’ materials. Five recipes were discovered in the W&N 19th century Archive Database and reconstructed in the laboratory. W&N was extracting weld in neutral and basic media, and preparing the insoluble lake by complexation with Al3+ in the form of alum (KAl(SO4)2•12H2O) or hydrated alumina (Al(OH)3). Five yellow lake pigments were successfully obtained and characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Their chromatographic profiles display as main yellows, luteolin 7-O-glucoside (Lut-7-O-glu) or both Lut-7-O-glu plus luteolin 3′,7-O-glucoside (Lut-3’,7-O-glu). In two of the processes, the presence of gypsum (CaSO4•2H2O) was unequivocally detected by FTIR, being formed as a by-product. This work offers the first identification of weld lake pigments’ characteristic infrared bands. The W&N Database proved again to be a unique source of information on 19th-century artists’ materials and their commercial preparation. The knowledge gain is essential to ensure effective conservation and authentication procedures.
- Short-term seed storage of two Mediterranean shrubs used in restoration: Simple procedures to reduce seed deteriorationPublication . Clemente, Adelaide; Costa, Catarina A.; Oliveira, Graça; Correia, OtiliaSeed-based revegetation is fundamental in global restoration efforts. When seed storage is mandatory, knowledge of storage conditions that reduce ageing is essential for effective conservation of viable seeds. However, inappropriate storage is still frequent, particularly in local restoration projects involving native species. We investigated how different storage conditions (temperature and relative humidity) affected seed viability of the Mediterranean shrubs Arbutus unedo and Myrtus communis. We aimed to identify which conditions reduced seed deterioration and to provide practitioners with practical storage guidelines to overcome the natural fluctuations in seed production of these two species. Seeds equilibrated at 15%, 30% and 60% relative humidity (RH) and sealed in airtight containers were stored at 5 °C or ambient temperature over one year. Additional seed lots were kept under ambient conditions, according to the usual local practice (open storage). Germination tests were performed prior to and after storage. Significant seed deterioration (80–100%) occurred in seeds equilibrated at 60% RH and stored at ambient temperature, and in seeds kept in open storage. The remaining treatments maintained high seed viability. Short seed longevity under ambient conditions was demonstrated for both species. To store seeds over one year, practitioners may either (i) equilibrate seeds up to 60% RH and store them in a refrigerator (5 °C), or (ii) equilibrate seeds up to 30% RH (preferably 15% RH for A. unedo) and store them at ambient temperature. All seeds should be sealed into airtight containers immediately after equilibrium. The effectiveness of the 5 °C-60% RH treatment demonstrated that procedures less demanding than international standards for short-term storage can still ensure seed viability. While contributing to the understanding of species responses to storage conditions, our findings can be applied to both species by local practitioners across the Mediterranean. Moreover, our approach can be adapted and extended to other restoration projects and native species, supporting specific improvements to seed storage protocols, thereby enhancing the cost-effectiveness and the capacity of restoration efforts.