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Lee KC, Kim JS, Kwak YS. Relation of pandemics with solar cycles through ozone, cloud seeds, and vitamin D. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:13827-13836. [PMID: 36149564 PMCID: PMC9510177 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22982-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The global records of infectious diseases, including Western and Eastern documents from 1825 to 2020, during which sunspot observations are considered reliable, show that 27 of the 34 pandemic outbreaks were coincident with sunspot number maxima or minima. There is evidence that the intensity of galactic cosmic rays is anti-correlated with solar activity and that cloud seed formation is accelerated by galactic cosmic rays. There are a substantial number of research papers showing the relationship between COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency. The data analysis of ozone thickness measured based on NASA satellite observations revealed that ozone thickness has 11-year and 28-month cycles. Because the 11-year cycles of ozone thickness and cloud seed attenuation are anti-correlated, when either one becomes extremely thick, such as at the maximum or minimum point of solar activity, UV radiation is over-attenuated, and human vitamin D deficiency is globally increased. This finding explains the coincidence of pandemic outbreaks with the extrema of the sunspot numbers. Vitamin D supplementation can be an effective countermeasure against the spread of infectious diseases, which is a paramount importance to global society. Future pandemic forecasting should include the 11-year and 28-month cycles of UV radiation. This founding completes the relationship between solar activity and human health through the earth's environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwan Chul Lee
- Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, 169-148 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34133, Korea.
| | - Jung Sun Kim
- Konyang University Medical Campus, 158 Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 35365, Korea
| | - Young Sil Kwak
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34055, Korea
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2
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Mironov VL. Unknown effects of daily-scale solar activity on the plant growth: Data from 6-year growth monitoring of Sphagnum riparium. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13733. [PMID: 35699602 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The influence of solar activity on plant growth has been studied for over 100 years, however, this phenomenon is still poorly understood on a daily scale. The data from extensive monitoring of the growth of peat moss Sphagnum riparium, which we are conducting in the mires of Karelia (Russia), may shed light on this issue. During the 6 years of observation, 161,190 shoots were measured, and 1075 growth rates were obtained. Considering together the growth rates with the sunspot number and involving data on seasonal temperature, we found previously unknown effects of daily-scale solar activity on plant growth. It was found that the sunspot number weakly but significantly inhibits the growth of Sphagnum. The extreme sunspot number in the 4 days before the growth rate values have a stronger influence. The involvement of temperature data showed that inhibition in growth is observed only in the temperature range from 6.7°C to 15.3°C and disappears beyond these limits. In addition, the data obtained showed that the influence of sunspot number on the growth of Sphagnum is progressively increasing along the gradient from the minimum to the maximum of the 11-year solar cycle. The study provides one of the first results on the effect of solar activity on plant growth on a daily scale. The results expand our knowledge of the biological effects of solar activity. Indirectly, they can also be useful to better our understanding of the ozone layer's involvement in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor L Mironov
- Institute of Biology of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russia
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3
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Chen F, Zhai L, Yang H, Zhao S, Wang Z, Gao C, Zhou J, Liu X, Yu Z, Qin Y, Xu W. Unparalleled Armour for Aramid Fiber with Excellent UV Resistance in Extreme Environment. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2004171. [PMID: 34194929 PMCID: PMC8224419 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202004171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Aramid fibers are widely used in many cutting-edge fields, including space, aviation, military, and electronics. However, their poor UV resistance and surface inertness seriously hinder their utilization, especially in harsh environments. Here, a dual-layer ultrathin Al2O3-TiO2 coating with a thickness of 70-180 nm is fabricated on aramid fibers by a modified atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. The tenacity of ALD-coated aramid fibers decreases only by ≈0.85% after exposure to intense UV light (4260 W m-2) under high temperature (>200 ℃) for 90 min, which equals to continuous exposure to sunlight for about 17 500 days. The as-prepared aramid fibers also show excellent laundering durability, thermal and chemical stabilities. This work presents a green and damage-free approach to achieve the highly anti-UV aramid fibers without sacrificing their outstanding performance, which is expected to guide material design for future innovations in functional fibers and devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengxiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Bio‐Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of EducationSchool of ChemistryBeihang UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Bio‐Fibers and Eco‐TextilesQingdao UniversityQingdao266071P. R. China
| | - Lisha Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Huiyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Shichao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal ConversionInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of ScienceTaiyuan030001P. R. China
| | - Zonglei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Chong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Jingyi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
| | - Zhenwei Yu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Bio‐Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of EducationSchool of ChemistryBeihang UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Yong Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Coal ConversionInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of ScienceTaiyuan030001P. R. China
| | - Weilin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing TechnologiesWuhan Textile UniversityWuhan430200P. R. China
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4
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Birks HJB. Reflections on the Use of Ecological Attributes and Traits in Quaternary Botany. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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5
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Abstract
The ozone layer is well observed since the 1930s from the ground and, since the 1980s, by satellite-based instruments. The evolution of ozone in the past is important because of its dramatic influence on the biosphere and humans but has not been known for most of the time, except for some measurements of near-surface ozone since the end of the 19th century. This gap can be filled by either modeling or paleo reconstructions. Here, we address ozone layer evolution during the early 20th century. This period was very interesting due to a simultaneous increase in solar and anthropogenic activity, as well as an observed but not explained substantial global warming. For the study, we exploited the chemistry-climate model SOCOL-MPIOM driven by all known anthropogenic and natural forcing agents, as well as their combinations. We obtain a significant global scale increase in the total column ozone by up to 12 Dobson Units and an enhancement of about 20% of the near-surface ozone over the Northern Hemisphere. We conclude that the total column ozone changes during this period were mainly driven by enhanced solar ultra violet (UV) radiation, while near-surface ozone followed the evolution of anthropogenic ozone precursors. This finding can be used to constrain the solar forcing magnitude.
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6
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Yang H, Yu Z, Li K, Jiang L, Liu X, Deng B, Chen F, Xu W. Facile and Effective Fabrication of Highly UV-Resistant Silk Fabrics with Excellent Laundering Durability and Thermal and Chemical Stabilities. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:27426-27434. [PMID: 31276363 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b07646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
As the most favored high-quality biopolymer, silk fiber is widely used in the textile and medical industries owing to its impressive mechanical properties, wear comfort properties, and biocompatibility. However, its photoinstability, chemical instability, and thermal instability seriously hinder its utilization in luxurious fashionable apparels. Therefore, we herein report the preparation of an ultrathin and uniform TiO2-Al2O3 cloth with a thickness of just six in a thousand of fiber on silkworm silk fiber via atomic layer deposition. In this ultrathin composite cloth, the outer TiO2 layer acts as a sacrificial ultraviolet (UV) absorbent to dissipate large amounts of UV energy. Free radicals and electrons generated by the TiO2 layer are effectively blocked outside the surface of the bulk silk fiber by the inner insulating Al2O3 layer. The excellent UV-resistance of the modified silk fiber was confirmed by a lack of fade in the silk fabric after exposure to UV light for 60 min (equal to continuous exposure to strong sunlight for 3285 days). Compared with silk fiber, the tenacity of the prepared SF-200Al2O3-800TiO2 increased by 18.9% even after sunlight exposure. In addition, both the chemical and thermal stabilities of the modified silk fiber were improved. This technology is expected to have potential applications in various fields, such as high-end fabric development and smart materials, and will further guide material design for future innovations in functional fibers and devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
| | - Zhenwei Yu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry , Beihang University , Beijing 100191 , PR China
| | - Ke Li
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
| | - Lang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
| | - Bo Deng
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
| | - Fengxiang Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry , Beihang University , Beijing 100191 , PR China
| | - Weilin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials & Advanced Processing Technologies and Hubei Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials & Application , Wuhan Textile University , Wuhan 430200 , Hubei, China
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7
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Seddon AWR, Festi D, Robson TM, Zimmermann B. Fossil pollen and spores as a tool for reconstructing ancient solar-ultraviolet irradiance received by plants: an assessment of prospects and challenges using proxy-system modelling. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:275-294. [PMID: 30649121 DOI: 10.1039/c8pp00490k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280-315 nm) constitutes less than 1% of the total solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface but has a disproportional impact on biological and ecological processes from the individual to the ecosystem level. Absorption of UV-B by ozone is also one of the primary heat sources to the stratosphere, so variations in UV-B have important relationships to the Earth's radiation budget. Yet despite its importance for understanding atmospheric and ecological processes, there is limited understanding about the changes in UV-B radiation in the geological past. This is because systematic measurements of total ozone and surface UV-B only exist since the 1970s, so biological or geochemical proxies from sediment archives are needed to reconstruct UV-B irradiance received at the Earth surface beyond the experimental record. Recent developments have shown that the quantification of UV-B-absorbing compounds in pollen and spores have the potential to provide a continuous record of the solar-ultraviolet radiation received by plants. There is increasing interest in developing this proxy in palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological research. However, differences in interpretation exist between palaeoecologists, who are beginning to apply the proxy under various geological settings, and UV-B ecologists, who question whether a causal dose-response relationship of pollen and spore chemistry to UV-B irradiance has really been established. Here, we use a proxy-system modelling approach to systematically assess components of the pollen- and spore-based UV-B-irradiance proxy to ask how these differences can be resolved. We identify key unknowns and uncertainties in making inferences about past UV-B irradiance, from the pollen sensor, the sedimentary archive, and through the laboratory and experimental procedures in order to target priority areas of future work. We argue that an interdisciplinary approach, modifying methods used by plant ecologists studying contemporary responses to solar-UV-B radiation specifically to suit the needs of palaeoecological analyses, provides a way forward in developing the most reliable reconstructions for the UV-B irradiance received by plants across a range of timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair W R Seddon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway. .,Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Norway.
| | - Daniela Festi
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Austria.,Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
| | - T Matthew Robson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology (OEB), Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Boris Zimmermann
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
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8
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Bornman JF, Barnes PW, Robson TM, Robinson SA, Jansen MAK, Ballaré CL, Flint SD. Linkages between stratospheric ozone, UV radiation and climate change and their implications for terrestrial ecosystems. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:681-716. [DOI: 10.1039/c8pp90061b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Linkages between stratospheric ozone, UV radiation and climate change: terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet F. Bornman
- College of Science
- Health
- Engineering and Education
- Murdoch University
- Perth
| | - Paul W. Barnes
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environment Program
- Loyola University
- USA
| | - T. Matthew Robson
- Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology
- Viikki Plant Science Centre
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
| | - Sharon A. Robinson
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions
- School of Earth
- Atmosphere and Life Sciences and Global Challenges Program
- University of Wollongong
- Wollongong
| | - Marcel A. K. Jansen
- Plant Ecophysiology Group
- School of Biological
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- UCC
- Cork
| | - Carlos L. Ballaré
- University of Buenos Aires
- Faculty of Agronomy and IFEVA-CONICET, and IIB
- National University of San Martin
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
| | - Stephan D. Flint
- Department of Forest
- Rangeland and Fire Sciences
- University of Idaho
- Moscow
- USA
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9
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Vale P. Impact of light quality and space weather in Alexandrium catenella (Dinophyceae) cultures. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2018; 19:1-12. [PMID: 30482275 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The chain-forming dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella was grown with LED or fluorescent light. With LED light, the pool of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) with strong antioxidant properties, such as mycosporine-glycine and palythene, was reduced in comparison to fluorescent light. The conjugated MAAs M-320 and M-335/360 presented similar stability to light and oxidation than their respective more sensitive moiety: mycosporine-glycine and palythene, respectively. A. catenella was exposed to extracellular hydrogen peroxide under LED or fluorescent light. It triggered an increase in chain formation at a final concentration of 98 and 196 µM, typical of an inverted U-shaped hormetic response, and reduced cell survival above 294 µM. LED light, minimizing UV-stress photoprotection, was chosen to render cells more susceptible to space weather. Cultures were exposed to 490 µM H2O2 multiple times between November 2017 and February 2018, close to the minimum of solar cycle 24. Cell survival was dependent on temperature, geomagnetic activity, solar X-rays and neutron flux. Geomagnetic activity originated an inverted U-shaped survival curve and X-ray flux a J-shaped survival curve, this second type of hormetic response being more rarely found. The percentage of cells in chains increased moderately with temperature, and more significantly with solar X-ray flux. Chain formation reduced along culture growth, but these observations were dependent on the occurring X-ray flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Vale
- The Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute, I.P. (IPMA, IP), Sea and Marine Resources Department (DMRM), R. Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, Lisbon 1495-006, Portugal.
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10
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Bais F, Luca RM, Bornman JF, Williamson CE, Sulzberger B, Austin AT, Wilson SR, Andrady AL, Bernhard G, McKenzie RL, Aucamp PJ, Madronich S, Neale RE, Yazar S, Young AR, de Gruijl FR, Norval M, Takizawa Y, Barnes PW, Robson TM, Robinson SA, Ballaré CL, Flint SD, Neale PJ, Hylander S, Rose KC, Wängberg SÅ, Häder DP, Worrest RC, Zepp RG, Paul ND, Cory RM, Solomon KR, Longstreth J, Pandey KK, Redhwi HH, Torikai A, Heikkilä AM. Environmental effects of ozone depletion, UV radiation and interactions with climate change: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, update 2017. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2018; 17:127-179. [PMID: 29404558 PMCID: PMC6155474 DOI: 10.1039/c7pp90043k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) is one of three Panels of experts that inform the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. The EEAP focuses on the effects of UV radiation on human health, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, air quality, and materials, as well as on the interactive effects of UV radiation and global climate change. When considering the effects of climate change, it has become clear that processes resulting in changes in stratospheric ozone are more complex than previously held. Because of the Montreal Protocol, there are now indications of the beginnings of a recovery of stratospheric ozone, although the time required to reach levels like those before the 1960s is still uncertain, particularly as the effects of stratospheric ozone on climate change and vice versa, are not yet fully understood. Some regions will likely receive enhanced levels of UV radiation, while other areas will likely experience a reduction in UV radiation as ozone- and climate-driven changes affect the amounts of UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Like the other Panels, the EEAP produces detailed Quadrennial Reports every four years; the most recent was published as a series of seven papers in 2015 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2015, 14, 1-184). In the years in between, the EEAP produces less detailed and shorter Update Reports of recent and relevant scientific findings. The most recent of these was for 2016 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2017, 16, 107-145). The present 2017 Update Report assesses some of the highlights and new insights about the interactive nature of the direct and indirect effects of UV radiation, atmospheric processes, and climate change. A full 2018 Quadrennial Assessment, will be made available in 2018/2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Bais
- Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki, Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - R. M. Luca
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National Univ., Canberra, Australia
| | - J. F. Bornman
- Curtin Univ., Curtin Business School, Perth, Australia
| | | | - B. Sulzberger
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - A. T. Austin
- Univ. of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Agronomy and IFEVA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - S. R. Wilson
- School of Chemistry, Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry, Univ. of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - A. L. Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - G. Bernhard
- Biospherical Instruments Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - P. J. Aucamp
- Ptersa Environmental Consultants, Faerie Glen, South Africa
| | - S. Madronich
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - R. E. Neale
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - S. Yazar
- Univ. of Western Australia, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Australia
| | | | - F. R. de Gruijl
- Department of Dermatology, Leiden Univ. Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M. Norval
- Univ. of Edinburgh Medical School, UK
| | - Y. Takizawa
- Akita Univ. School of Medicine, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Nakadai, Itabashiku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - P. W. Barnes
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environment Program, Loyola Univ., New Orleans, USA
| | - T. M. Robson
- Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Viikki Plant Science Centre, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland
| | - S. A. Robinson
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - C. L. Ballaré
- Univ. of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Agronomy and IFEVA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - S. D. Flint
- Dept of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - P. J. Neale
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA
| | - S. Hylander
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial model Systems, Linnaeus Univ., Kalmar, Sweden
| | - K. C. Rose
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - S.-Å. Wängberg
- Dept Marine Sciences, Univ. of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - D.-P. Häder
- Friedrich-Alexander Univ. Erlangen-Nürnberg, Dept of Biology, Möhrendorf, Germany
| | - R. C. Worrest
- CIESIN, Columbia Univ., New Hartford, Connecticut, USA
| | - R. G. Zepp
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - N. D. Paul
- Lanter Environment Centre, Lanter Univ., LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - R. M. Cory
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - K. R. Solomon
- Centre for Toxicology, School of Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - J. Longstreth
- The Institute for Global Risk Research, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - K. K. Pandey
- Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru, India
| | - H. H. Redhwi
- Chemical Engineering Dept, King Fahd Univ. of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - A. Torikai
- Materials Life Society of Japan, Kayabacho Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - A. M. Heikkilä
- Finnish Meteorological Institute R&D/Climate Research, Helsinki, Finland
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11
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Tohge T, Fernie AR. Leveraging Natural Variance towards Enhanced Understanding of Phytochemical Sunscreens. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 22:308-315. [PMID: 28173981 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The dependency of plants on sunlight renders exposure to UV a constant hazard. Light of this wavelength is damaging to proteins, RNA, and DNA, with damage to the latter resulting in a high mutagenic potential. To acclimate to environmental changes in light wavelengths and intensity, plants accumulate the production of UV-B-protectant phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and vitamins. Here, we review current and emerging knowledge concerning the biochemical response of plants to UV-B exposure. We additionally outline our opinion that the adoption of broad natural variance represents a powerful strategy by which to identify both novel UV-B-relevant metabolites and the genes regulating their abundance. Finally, we discuss how such information may guide future metabolic engineering strategies aimed at producing stress-tolerant plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Tohge
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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12
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Jardine PE, Fraser WT, Lomax BH, Sephton MA, Shanahan TM, Miller CS, Gosling WD. Pollen and spores as biological recorders of past ultraviolet irradiance. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39269. [PMID: 27976735 PMCID: PMC5157028 DOI: 10.1038/srep39269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance is a key driver of climatic and biotic change. Ultraviolet irradiance modulates stratospheric warming and ozone production, and influences the biosphere from ecosystem-level processes through to the largest scale patterns of diversification and extinction. Yet our understanding of ultraviolet irradiance is limited because no method has been validated to reconstruct its flux over timescales relevant to climatic or biotic processes. Here, we show that a recently developed proxy for ultraviolet irradiance based on spore and pollen chemistry can be used over long (105 years) timescales. Firstly we demonstrate that spatial variations in spore and pollen chemistry correlate with known latitudinal solar irradiance gradients. Using this relationship we provide a reconstruction of past changes in solar irradiance based on the pollen record from Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana. As anticipated, variations in the chemistry of grass pollen from the Lake Bosumtwi record show a link to multiple orbital precessional cycles (19–21 thousand years). By providing a unique, local proxy for broad spectrum solar irradiance, the chemical analysis of spores and pollen offers unprecedented opportunities to decouple solar variability, climate and vegetation change through geologic time and a new proxy with which to probe the Earth system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip E Jardine
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Wesley T Fraser
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.,Geography, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Barry H Lomax
- Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Mark A Sephton
- Department of Earth Sciences &Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Timothy M Shanahan
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C9000, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | | | - William D Gosling
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.,Palaeoecology &Landscape Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity &Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Bone RE, Smith JAC, Arrigo N, Buerki S. A macro-ecological perspective on crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis evolution in Afro-Madagascan drylands: Eulophiinae orchids as a case study. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 208:469-81. [PMID: 26192467 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis is an adaptation to water and atmospheric CO2 deficits that has been linked to diversification in dry-adapted plants. We investigated whether CAM evolution can be associated with the availability of new or alternative niches, using Eulophiinae orchids as a case study. Carbon isotope ratios, geographical and climate data, fossil records and DNA sequences were used to: assess the prevalence of CAM in Eulophiinae orchids; characterize the ecological niche of extant taxa; infer divergence times; and estimate whether CAM is associated with niche shifts. CAM evolved in four terrestrial lineages during the late Miocene/Pliocene, which have uneven diversification patterns. These lineages originated in humid habitats and colonized dry/seasonally dry environments in Africa and Madagascar. Additional key features (variegation, heterophylly) evolved in the most species-rich CAM lineages. Dry habitats were also colonized by a lineage that includes putative mycoheterotrophic taxa. These findings indicate that the switch to CAM is associated with environmental change. With its suite of adaptive traits, this group of orchids represents a unique opportunity to study the adaptations to dry environments, especially in the face of projected global aridification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth E Bone
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - J Andrew C Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Nils Arrigo
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Sven Buerki
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
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14
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Lucock M, Jones P, Martin C, Beckett E, Yates Z, Furst J, Veysey M. Vitamin D. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med 2015; 20:310-22. [DOI: 10.1177/2156587215580491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in vitamin D and the VDR gene is increasing as putative roles in human health and evolutionary processes are explored. This review looks beyond the classic biochemistry that links vitamin D to calcium homeostasis; it explores how vitamin D interacts with light in a broader perspective than simple skin photosynthesis. It examines how the vitamin influences circadian rhythm, and how it may have helped drive the evolution of skin pigmentation. To this end, the nutrient–nutrient relationship with folate is also explored. The VDR gene is additionally examined as a factor in the evolutionary selection of skin depigmentation at higher latitudes to allow vitamin D synthesis. Evidence is given to show that VDR polymorphisms exhibit a latitudinal gradient in allele prevalence consistent with such a paradigm. Overall, the review examines new evo-devo ideas that link light-sensitive vitamins to human health/phenotype, both within and across the lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lucock
- University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrice Jones
- University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Emma Beckett
- University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zoe Yates
- University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John Furst
- University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Martin Veysey
- Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Vale P. Modeling the occurrence of shellfish poisoning outbreaks caused by Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae) through electromagnetic signal triggering. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2014. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350914030257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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16
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Fraser WT, Lomax BH, Jardine PE, Gosling WD, Sephton MA. Pollen and spores as a passive monitor of ultraviolet radiation. Front Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2014.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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17
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Lucock M, Yates Z, Martin C, Choi JH, Boyd L, Tang S, Naumovski N, Furst J, Roach P, Jablonski N, Chaplin G, Veysey M. Vitamin D, folate, and potential early lifecycle environmental origin of significant adult phenotypes. EVOLUTION MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 2014:69-91. [PMID: 24699387 PMCID: PMC4001294 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eou013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Solar radiation early in pregnancy interacts with light sensitive vitamins to influence an embryo's genetic profile. This influences both adult disease risk and may play a role in the evolution of skin colour. Background and objectives: Vitamin D and folate are highly UV sensitive, and critical for maintaining health throughout the lifecycle. This study examines whether solar irradiance during the first trimester of pregnancy influences vitamin D receptor (VDR) and nuclear folate gene variant occurrence, and whether affected genes influence late-life biochemical/clinical phenotypes. Methodology: 228 subjects were examined for periconceptional exposure to solar irradiance, variation in vitamin D/folate genes (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)), dietary intake (food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)) and important adult biochemical/clinical phenotypes. Results: Periconceptional solar irradiance was associated with VDR-BsmI (P = 0.0008wk7), TaqI (P = 0.0014wk7) and EcoRV (P = 0.0030wk6) variant occurrence between post-conceptional weeks 6–8, a period when ossification begins. Similar effects were detected for other VDR gene polymorphisms. Periconceptional solar irradiance was also associated with 19 bp del-DHFR (P = 0.0025wk6), and to a lesser extent C1420T-SHMT (P = 0.0249wk6), a folate-critical time during embryogenesis. These same genes were associated with several late-life phenotypes: VDR-BsmI, TaqI and ApaI determined the relationship between dietary vitamin D and both insulin (P < 0.0001/BB, 0.0007/tt and 0.0173/AA, respectively) and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.0290/Bb, 0.0299/Tt and 0.0412/AA, respectively), making them important early and late in the lifecycle. While these and other phenotype associations were found for the VDR variants, folate polymorphism associations in later-life were limited to C1420T-SHMT (P = 0.0037 and 0.0297 for fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels, respectively). We additionally report nutrient–gene relationships with body mass index, thiol/folate metabolome, cognition, depression and hypertension. Furthermore, photoperiod at conception influenced occurrence of VDR-Tru9I and 2R3R-TS genotypes (P = 0.0120 and 0.0360, respectively). Conclusions and implications: Findings identify environmental and nutritional agents that may interact to modify gene–phenotype relationships across the lifecycle, offering new insight into human ecology. This includes factors related to both disease aetiology and the evolution of skin pigmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lucock
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Maths and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, PO Box 127, Brush Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia, The Pennsylvania State University, Anthropology Department, 409 Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA, and Teaching and Research Unit, Central Coast Local Health District, PO Box 361, Gosford, NSW 2250, Australia
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18
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Vale P. Can solar/geomagnetic activity restrict the occurrence of some shellfish poisoning outbreaks? The example of PSP caused by Gymnodinium catenatum at the Atlantic Portuguese coast. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2013. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350913040179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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19
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Lucock M, Leeming R. Autism, seasonality and the environmental perturbation of epigenome related vitamin levels. Med Hypotheses 2013; 80:750-5. [PMID: 23566657 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
An argument is put forward for environmental modulators of photolabile or photosynthetic vitamins mediating autism risk via a complex downstream interaction of genetic/epigenetic phenomena that provide an explanation for seasonality in this and other developmentally originated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lucock
- Molecular Nutrition Laboratory, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
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20
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Convey P. Maritime Antarctic Climate Change: Signals from Terrestrial Biology. ANTARCTIC PENINSULA CLIMATE VARIABILITY: HISTORICAL AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES 2013. [DOI: 10.1029/ar079p0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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21
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22
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Solar cycle predicts folate-sensitive neonatal genotypes at discrete phases of the first trimester of pregnancy: A novel folate-related human embryo loss hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2012; 79:210-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 04/24/2012] [Accepted: 04/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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23
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Willis KJ, Feurdean A, Birks HJB, Bjune AE, Breman E, Broekman R, Grytnes JA, New M, Singarayer JS, Rozema J. Quantification of UV-B flux through time using UV-B-absorbing compounds contained in fossil Pinus sporopollenin. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2011; 192:553-560. [PMID: 21810096 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03815.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
UV-B radiation currently represents c. 1.5% of incoming solar radiation. However, significant changes are known to have occurred in the amount of incoming radiation both on recent and on geological timescales. Until now it has not been possible to reconstruct a detailed measure of UV-B radiation beyond c. 150 yr ago. Here, we studied the suitability of fossil Pinus spp. pollen to record variations in UV-B flux through time. In view of the large size of the grain and its long fossil history, we hypothesized that this grain could provide a good proxy for recording past variations in UV-B flux. Two key objectives were addressed: to determine whether there was, similar to other studied species, a clear relationship between UV-B-absorbing compounds in the sporopollenin of extant pollen and the magnitude of UV-B radiation to which it had been exposed; and to determine whether these compounds could be extracted from a small enough sample size of fossil pollen to make reconstruction of a continuous record through time a realistic prospect. Preliminary results indicate the excellent potential of this species for providing a quantitative record of UV-B through time. Using this technique, we present the first record of UV-B flux during the last 9500 yr from a site near Bergen, Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Willis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
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24
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Selås V, Holand Ø, Ohlson M. Digestibility and N-concentration of bilberry shoots in relation to berry production and N-fertilization. Basic Appl Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2011.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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25
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McKenzie RL, Aucamp PJ, Bais AF, Björn LO, Ilyas M, Madronich S. Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2011; 10:182-98. [DOI: 10.1039/c0pp90034f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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26
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Versteegh GJM, Riboulleau A. An organic geochemical perspective on terrestrialization. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1144/sp339.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe colonization of land required new strategies for safe gamete/diaspore dispersal, and to cope with desiccation, harmful radiation, fire and gravity. Accordingly, the morphology, behaviour and physiology of the organisms changed. Here, we explore to what extent physiological adaptations, reflected in the molecular content of the sediments, add to our understanding of the terrestrialization. Many compounds considered characteristic of land organisms do not provide valuable information from the fossil record since (1) they were not preserved; (2) they occur or correspond to substances that evolved prior to the terrestrialization (e.g. cutan vs. algaenan, cellulose); or (3) they have been changed diagenetically and/or catagenetically. The latter leads to geo(macro)molecules without a chemical fingerprint relating them to their original bio(macro)molecules despite, sometimes, excellent morphological preservation of the organic remains. Nevertheless, some molecular markers and their stable isotopes provide independent information on the terrestrialization process. The odd predominance of n-alkane surface waxes is a feature already apparent in early land plants and could, with caution, be used as such. Furthermore, fossil terpenoids and their derivatives are valuable for reconstructing the evolution of major plant groups. The radiation of the phenylpropanoid pathway with for example, sporopollenin and lignin seems to be closely related to the evolution of land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Armelle Riboulleau
- Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille – Bât. SN5, UMR 8157 du CNRS Géosystèmes, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France
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27
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Mekkawy IAA, Mahmoud UM, Osman AG, Sayed AEDH. Effects of ultraviolet A on the activity of two metabolic enzymes, DNA damage and lipid peroxidation during early developmental stages of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2010; 36:605-626. [PMID: 19609701 PMCID: PMC2923706 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-009-9334-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2008] [Accepted: 05/11/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many ultraviolet-A (UVA)-induced biochemical and physiological changes are valid as biomarkers using aquatic species for detection of the degree of stress. Changes in the concentration and activities of enzymes, such as glucose-6-phosphate dehyderogenase (G6PDH), lactate dehyderogenase (LDH), DNA damage and lipid peroxidation (LPO), can be used as biomarkers to identify possible environmental contamination in fish. This study aimed to investigate the impact of UVA on the activity of the selected enzymes, DNA damage and LPO during early developmental stages of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Embryo hemogenates were used for measurements of G6PDH, LDH, DNA damage and LPO concentrations and activities spectrophotometrically at 37 degrees C. The normal ontogenetic variations in enzyme activities, DNA damage and LPO of the early developmental stages (24-168 h-PFS; hours-post fertilization stage) were studied. There was a significant decrease in the activity of G6PDH till 120 h-PFS. Then after 120 h-PFS, the activity of such enzymes insignificantly increased toward higher stages. The LDH activity was recorded with a pattern of decrease till 96 h-PFS, followed by a significant increase toward 168 h-PFS. The polynomial pattern of variations in DNA damage and LPO was also evident. The patterns of the enzyme activities, corresponding DNA damage and LPO of the early ontogenetic stages under the influence of three different UVA doses (15, 30 and 60 min), were recorded. The pattern of variations in G6PDH activity in UVA-induced groups was similar to that of the control group with variation in the magnitude of such activity. In all treated groups, LDH activity decreased till 96 h-PFS, then increased till 168 h-PFS. Within each of the embryonic stages, the increase in UVA led to a significant increase in DNA damage. A significant increase in lipid peroxidation under UVA doses was recorded. The variability in number and molecular weight of proteins under exposure to UVA was evident, reflecting some of the genetic and transcriptional changes during exposure and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imam A A Mekkawy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Usama M Mahmoud
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Alaa G Osman
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Alaa El-Din H Sayed
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Assiut, Egypt.
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28
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Hayes DP. Cancer protection related to solar ultraviolet radiation, altitude and vitamin D. Med Hypotheses 2010; 75:378-82. [PMID: 20403668 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2010.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
A whole host of epidemiological studies have reported lower cancer rates and mortality in high-altitude regions. These studies are reviewed and discussed in detail. Evidence for the salutary role of vitamin D in protecting against cancer and other maladies will also be reviewed and discussed. The dependence of vitamin D production on sunlight and its enhancement with altitude will be demonstrated. The hypothesis is advanced and developed that the lower cancer rates observed at high altitudes arise from enhanced sunlight-induced vitamin D production levels. Protective vitamin D mechanisms which support this hypothesis as well as other supportive medical evidence are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Hayes
- The Brooklyn Hospital Center, 121 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States.
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29
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Hayes DP. Influenza pandemics, solar activity cycles, and vitamin D. Med Hypotheses 2009; 74:831-4. [PMID: 20056531 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is historic evidence that influenza pandemics are associated with solar activity cycles (the Schwabe-cycle of about 11-years periodicity). The hypothesis is presented and developed that influenza pandemics are associated with solar control of vitamin D levels in humans which waxes and wanes in concert with solar cycle dependent ultraviolet radiation. It is proposed that this solar cycle dependence arises both directly from cyclic control of the amount of ultraviolet radiation as well as indirectly through cyclic control of atmospheric circulation and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Hayes
- The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA.
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30
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Lake JA, Field KJ, Davey MP, Beerling DJ, Lomax BH. Metabolomic and physiological responses reveal multi-phasic acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to chronic UV radiation. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2009; 32:1377-89. [PMID: 19558413 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.02005.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Biochemical changes in vivo and pathway interactions were investigated using integrated physiological and metabolic responses of Arabidopsis thaliana L. to ultraviolet (UV) radiation (280-400 nm) at 9.96 kJ m(-2) d(-1) over the entire life cycle from seed to seed (8 weeks). Columbia-0 (Col-0) and a UV-B sensitive accession (fah-1) showed significant (P < 0.001) reductions in leaf growth after 6 weeks. Col-0 recovered growth after 8 weeks, with recovery corresponding to a switch from production of phenylpropanoids to flavonoids. fah-1 failed to recover, indicating that sinapate production is an essential component of recovery. Epidermal features show that UV radiation caused significant (P < 0.001) increases in trichome density, which may act as a structural defence response. Stomatal indices showed a significant (P < 0.0001) reduction in Col-0 and a significant (P < 0.001) increase in fah-1. Epidermal cell density was significantly increased under UV radiation on the abaxial leaf surface, suggesting that that a fully functioning phenylpropanoid pathway is a requirement for cell expansion and leaf development. Despite wild-type acclimation, the costs of adaptation lead to reduced plant fitness by decreasing flower numbers and total seed biomass. A multi-phasic acclimation to UV radiation and the induction of specific metabolites link stress-induced biochemical responses to enhanced acclimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice A Lake
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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31
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Hu W, Connell D, Mengersen K, Tong S. Weather variability, sunspots, and the blooms of cyanobacteria. ECOHEALTH 2009; 6:71-78. [PMID: 19421817 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-009-0223-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2008] [Revised: 03/01/2009] [Accepted: 03/05/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The roles of weather variability and sunspots in the occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms, were investigated using cyanobacteria cell data collected from the Fred Haigh Dam, Queensland, Australia. Time series generalized linear model and classification and regression tree (CART) model were used in the analysis. Data on notified cell numbers of cyanobacteria and weather variables over the periods 2001 and 2005 were provided by the Australian Department of Natural Resources and Water, and Australian Bureau of Meteorology, respectively. The results indicate that monthly minimum temperature (relative risk [RR]: 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.25) and rainfall (RR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03-1.20) had a positive association, but relative humidity (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91-0.98) and wind speed (RR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.82-0.98) were negatively associated with the cyanobacterial numbers, after adjustment for seasonality and auto-correlation. The CART model showed that the cyanobacteria numbers were best described by an interaction between minimum temperature, relative humidity, and sunspot numbers. When minimum temperature exceeded 18 degrees C and relative humidity was under 66%, the number of cyanobacterial cells rose by 2.15-fold. We conclude that weather variability and sunspot activity may affect cyanobacteria blooms in dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbiao Hu
- School of Public Health and Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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32
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Rozema J, Blokker P, Mayoral Fuertes MA, Broekman R. UV-B absorbing compounds in present-day and fossil pollen, spores, cuticles, seed coats and wood: evaluation of a proxy for solar UV radiation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2009; 8:1233-43. [DOI: 10.1039/b904515e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Abstract
To get a proper perspective on the current status of atmospheric ozone, which protects the biosphere from ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280-315 nm) radiation, it would be of value to know how ozone and UV-B radiation have varied in the past. The record of worldwide ozone monitoring goes back only a few decades, and the record of reliable UV-B measurements is even shorter. Here we review indirect methods to assess their status further back in time. These include variations in the Sun's emission and how these affect the atmosphere, changes in the Earth's orbit, geologic imprints of atmospheric ozone, effects of catastrophic events such as volcanic eruptions, biological proxies of UV-B radiation, the spectral signature of terrestrial ozone in old recordings of star spectra, and the modeling of UV-B irradiance from ozone data and meteorological recordings. Although reliable reconstructions do not yet extend far into the past, there is some hope for future progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Olof Björn
- Lund University, Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Sweden.
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Glaser R, Hodgen B, Farrelly D, McKee E. Adenine synthesis in interstellar space: mechanisms of prebiotic pyrimidine-ring formation of monocyclic HCN-pentamers. ASTROBIOLOGY 2007; 7:455-70. [PMID: 17630841 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2006.0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The question whether the nucleobases can be synthesized in interstellar space is of fundamental significance in considerations of the origin of life. Adenine is formally the HCN pentamer, and experiments have demonstrated that adenine is formed under certain conditions by HCN pentamerization in gas, liquid, and condensed phases. Most mechanistic proposals invoke the intermediacy of the HCN tetramer AICN (4), and it is thought that adenine synthesis is completed by addition of the 5(th) HCN to 4 to form amidine 5 and subsequent pyrimidine cyclization. In this context, we have been studying the mechanism for prebiotic pyrimidine-ring formation of monocyclic HCN-pentamers with ab initio electronic structure theory. The calculations model gas phase chemistry, and the results primarily inform discussions of adenine synthesis in interstellar space. Purine formation requires tautomerization of 5 to the conjugated amidine 6 (via hydrogen-tunneling, thermally with H(+) -catalysis, or by photolysis) or to keteneimine 7 (by photolysis). It was found that 5-(N'-formamidinyl)-1H-imidazole-4-carbonitrile (6) can serve as a substrate for proton-catalyzed purine formation under photolytic conditions and N-(4-(iminomethylene)-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-ylidene)formamidine (7) can serve as a substrate for uncatalyzed purine formation under photolytic conditions. The absence of any sizeable activation barrier for the cyclization of 7 to the (Z)-imino form of 9H-adenine (Z)-2 is quite remarkable, and it is this feature that allows for the formation of the purine skeleton from 7 without any further activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Glaser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA.
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Yuan X, Yin K, Zhou W, Cao W, Xu X, Zhao D. Effects of ultraviolet radiation B (UV-B) on photosynthesis of natural phytoplankton assemblages in a marine bay in Southern China. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-007-0079-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Watson JS, Sephton MA, Sephton SV, Self S, Fraser WT, Lomax BH, Gilmour I, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ. Rapid determination of spore chemistry using thermochemolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2007; 6:689-94. [PMID: 17549272 DOI: 10.1039/b617794h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Spore chemistry is at the centre of investigations aimed at producing a proxy record of harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) through time. A biochemical proxy is essential owing to an absence of long-term (century or more) instrumental records. Spore cell material contains UV-B absorbing compounds that appear to be synthesised in variable amounts dependent on the ambient UV-B flux. To facilitate these investigations we have developed a rapid method for detecting variations in spore chemistry using combined thermochemolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Our method was tested using spores obtained from five populations of the tropical lycopsid Lycopodium cernuum growing across an altitudinal gradient (650-1981 m a.s.l.) in S.E. Asia with the assumption that they experienced a range of UV-B radiation doses. Thermochemolysis and subsequent pyrolysis liberated UV-B pigments (ferulic and para-coumaric acid) from the spores. All of the aromatic compounds liberated from spores by thermochemolysis and pyrolysis were active in UV-B protection. The various functional groups associated with UV-B protecting pigments were rapidly detected by micro-FTIR and included the aromatic C[double bond, length as m-dash]C absorption band which was exclusive to the pigments. We show increases in micro-FTIR aromatic absorption (1510 cm(-1)) with altitude that may reflect a chemical response to higher UV-B flux. Our results indicate that rapid chemical analyses of historical spore samples could provide a record ideally suited to investigations of a proxy for stratospheric O3 layer variability and UV-B flux over historical (century to millennia) timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S Watson
- Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UKMK7 6AA
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Cannell JJ, Vieth R, Umhau JC, Holick MF, Grant WB, Madronich S, Garland CF, Giovannucci E. Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect 2006; 134:1129-40. [PMID: 16959053 PMCID: PMC2870528 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268806007175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 669] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/05/2006] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1981, R. Edgar Hope-Simpson proposed that a 'seasonal stimulus' intimately associated with solar radiation explained the remarkable seasonality of epidemic influenza. Solar radiation triggers robust seasonal vitamin D production in the skin; vitamin D deficiency is common in the winter, and activated vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D, a steroid hormone, has profound effects on human immunity. 1,25(OH)2D acts as an immune system modulator, preventing excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines and increasing the 'oxidative burst' potential of macrophages. Perhaps most importantly, it dramatically stimulates the expression of potent anti-microbial peptides, which exist in neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells, and in epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract where they play a major role in protecting the lung from infection. Volunteers inoculated with live attenuated influenza virus are more likely to develop fever and serological evidence of an immune response in the winter. Vitamin D deficiency predisposes children to respiratory infections. Ultraviolet radiation (either from artificial sources or from sunlight) reduces the incidence of viral respiratory infections, as does cod liver oil (which contains vitamin D). An interventional study showed that vitamin D reduces the incidence of respiratory infections in children. We conclude that vitamin D, or lack of it, may be Hope-Simpson's 'seasonal stimulus'.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Cannell
- Atascadero State Hospital, 10333 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422, USA.
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Rozema J, Boelen P, Blokker P. Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic and Arctic: responses of plants of polar terrestrial ecosystems to enhanced UV-B, an overview. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2005; 137:428-42. [PMID: 16005756 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2005.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2004] [Accepted: 01/31/2005] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic has been re-occurring yearly since 1974, leading to enhanced UV-B radiation. Arctic ozone depletion has been observed since 1990. Ozone recovery has been predicted by 2050, but no signs of recovery occur. Here we review responses of polar plants to experimentally varied UV-B through supplementation or exclusion. In supplementation studies comparing ambient and above ambient UV-B, no effect on growth occurred. UV-B-induced DNA damage, as measured in polar bryophytes, is repaired overnight by photoreactivation. With UV exclusion, growth at near ambient may be less than at below ambient UV-B levels, which relates to the UV response curve of polar plants. UV-B screening foils also alter PAR, humidity, and temperature and interactions of UV with environmental factors may occur. Plant phenolics induced by solar UV-B, as in pollen, spores and lignin, may serve as a climate proxy for past UV. Since the Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems differ essentially, (e.g. higher species diversity and more trophic interactions in the Arctic), generalization of polar plant responses to UV-B needs caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelte Rozema
- Department of Systems Ecology, Institute of Ecological Science, Climate Centre, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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JOHNSON DEREKM, LIEBHOLD ANDREWM, BJORNSTAD OTTARN, MCMANUS MICHAELL. Circumpolar variation in periodicity and synchrony among gypsy moth populations. J Anim Ecol 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2005.00980.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Selås V, Hogstad O, Kobro S, Rafoss T. Can sunspot activity and ultraviolet-B radiation explain cyclic outbreaks of forest moth pest species? Proc Biol Sci 2004; 271:1897-901. [PMID: 15347511 PMCID: PMC1691813 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2004.2811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic outbreaks of forest moth pest species have long remained a puzzle for foresters and ecologists. This paper presents time-series exhibiting a strong negative relationship between sunspot numbers and population indices of autumnal and winter moths, both in a mountain birch forest in central Norway and in a mixed lowland forest in southern Norway. In the latter area, also the population level of a moth species feeding entirely on lichens was negatively related to sunspot numbers. Low sunspot activity leads to a thinner ozone layer and thus higher surface ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation. As winter moth larvae prefer leaves subjected to enhanced UV-B radiation, we suggest that the causal relationship between sunspots and moths is that the metabolic costs of producing UV-B-protective pigments during periods of low sunspot activity reduce trees' and lichens' resistance to herbivores, and thus increase the survival of moth larvae. Higher peak densities of moth cycles in mountain forests could be explained by the general higher UV-B radiation at higher altitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidar Selås
- Department of Ecology, Agricultural University of Norway, PO Box 5003, NO-1432 As.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina G. Jablonski
- Department of Anthropology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California 98103;
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Newchurch MJ. Evidence for slowdown in stratospheric ozone loss: First stage of ozone recovery. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2003jd003471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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McKenzie RL, Björn LO, Bais A, Ilyasad M. Changes in biologically active ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2003; 2:5-15. [PMID: 12659535 DOI: 10.1039/b211155c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Since publication of the 1998 UNEP Assessment, there has been continued rapid expansion of the literature on UV-B radiation. Many measurements have demonstrated the inverse relationship between column ozone amount and UV radiation, and in a few cases long-term increases due to ozone decreases have been identified. The quantity, quality and availability of ground-based UV measurements relevant to assessing the environmental impacts of ozone changes continue to improve. Recent studies have contributed to delineating regional and temporal differences due to aerosols, clouds, and ozone. Improvements in radiative transfer modelling capability now enable more accurate characterization of clouds, snow-cover, and topographical effects. A standardized scale for reporting UV to the public has gained wide acceptance. There has been increased use of satellite data to estimate geographic variability and trends in UV. Progress has been made in assessing the utility of satellite retrievals of UV radiation by comparison with measurements at the Earth's surface. Global climatologies of UV radiation are now available on the Internet. Anthropogenic aerosols play a more important role in attenuating UV irradiances than has been assumed previously, and this will have implications for the accuracy of UV retrievals from satellite data. Progress has been made inferring historical levels of UV radiation using measurements of ozone (from satellites or from ground-based networks) in conjunction with measurements of total solar radiation obtained from extensive meteorological networks. We cannot yet be sure whether global ozone has reached a minimum. Atmospheric chlorine concentrations are beginning to decrease. However, bromine concentrations are still increasing. While these halogen concentrations remain high, the ozone layer remains vulnerable to further depletion from events such as volcanic eruptions that inject material into the stratosphere. Interactions between global warming and ozone depletion could delay ozone recovery by several years, and this topic remains an area of intense research interest. Future changes in greenhouse gases will affect the future evolution of ozone through chemical, radiative, and dynamic processes In this highly coupled system, an evaluation of the relative importance of these processes is difficult: studies are ongoing. A reliable assessment of these effects on total column ozone is limited by uncertainties in lower stratospheric response to these changes. At several sites, changes in UV differ from those expected from ozone changes alone, possibly as a result of long-term changes in aerosols, snow cover, or clouds. This indicates a possible interaction between climate change and UV radiation. Cloud reflectance measured by satellite has shown a long-term increase at some locations, especially in the Antarctic region, but also in Central Europe, which would tend to reduce the UV radiation. Even with the expected decreases in atmospheric chlorine, it will be several years before the beginning of an ozone recovery can be unambiguously identified at individual locations. Because UV-B is more variable than ozone, any identification of its recovery would be further delayed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L McKenzie
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, NIWA Lauder, PB 50061 Omakau, Central Otago, New Zealand.
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