Death caps (Amanita phalloides) frequently establish from sexual spores, but individuals can grow large and live for more than a decade in invaded forests

Global change is reshaping Earth's biodiversity, but the changing distributions of nonpathogenic fungi remain largely undocumented, as do mechanisms enabling invasions. The ectomycorrhizal Amanita phalloides is native to Europe and invasive in North America. Using population genetics and genomics, we sought to describe the life history traits of this successfully invading symbiotic fungus. To test whether death caps spread underground using hyphae, or aboveground using sexual spores, we mapped and genotyped mushrooms from European and US sites. Larger genetic individuals (genets) would suggest spread mediated by vegetative growth, while many small genets would suggest dispersal mediated by spores. To test whether genets are ephemeral or persistent, we also sampled from populations over time. At nearly every site and across all time points, mushrooms resolve into small genets. Individuals frequently establish from sexual spores. But at one Californian site, a single individual measuring nearly 10 m across dominated. At two Californian sites, the same genetic individuals were discovered in 2004, 2014, and 2015, suggesting single individuals (both large and small) can reproduce repeatedly over relatively long timescales. A flexible life history strategy combining both mycelial growth and spore dispersal appears to underpin the invasion of this deadly perennial ectomycorrhizal fungus.

Smartphone LiDAR Data: A Case Study for Numerisation of Indoor Buildings in Railway Stations

The combination of LiDAR with other technologies for numerisation is increasingly applied in the field of building, design, and geoscience, as it often brings time and cost advantages in 3D data survey processes. In this paper, the reconstruction of 3D point cloud datasets is studied, through an experimental protocol evaluation of new LiDAR sensors on smartphones. To evaluate and analyse the 3D point cloud datasets, different experimental conditions are considered depending on the acquisition mode and the type of object or surface being scanned. The conditions allowing us to obtain the most accurate data are identified and used to propose which acquisition protocol to use. This protocol seems to be the most adapted when using these LiDAR sensors to digitise complex interior buildings such as railway stations. This paper aims to propose: (i) a methodology to suggest the adaptation of an experimental protocol based on factors (distance, luminosity, surface, time, and incidence) to assess the precision and accuracy of the smartphone LiDAR sensor in a controlled environment; (ii) a comparison, both qualitative and quantitative, of smartphone LiDAR data with other traditional 3D scanner alternatives (Faro X130, VLX, and Vz400i) while considering three representative building interior environments; and (iii) a discussion of the results obtained in a controlled and a field environment, making it possible to propose recommendations for the use of the LiDAR smartphone at the end of the numerisation of the interior space of a building.

Efficiency of the traditional practice of traps to stimulate black truffle production, and its ecological mechanisms

The black truffle Tuber melanosporum was disseminated all over the world, propelled by the development of a wide variety of empirical practices. A widespread practice, called ‘truffle trap’, consists of placing pieces of truffles into excavations dug under host trees, and of collecting truffle in these traps in the next years. This research aims at (1) evaluating the effect of this practice on fruitbody production based on the analysis of 9924 truffle traps installed in 11 orchards across T. melanosporum native area in France and (2) exploring the mechanisms involved in fruitbody emergence using traps where the genotypes of introduced truffles were compared with those of fruitbodies collected in the same traps. We confirmed that truffle traps provide a major and highly variable part of truffle ground production, representing up to 89% of the collected fruitbodies. We evidenced a genetic link between introduced spores and collected fruitbodies, and then demonstrated that truffle growers provide paternal partners for mating with local maternal mycelia. We also highlighted that soil disturbance stimulate the vegetative development of established maternal mycelia. This research supports that a widely used traditional practice enhances fruitbody production by shaping favorable conditions and providing sexual partners required for fruiting.

Unravelling the French National Fungal Database: Geography, Temporality, Taxonomy and Ecology of the Recorded Diversity

Large datasets are highly valuable resources to investigate multi-scale patterns of organisms, and lay foundations for citizen science-based conservation strategies. Here, we used 1,043,262 records from 1708 to 2021 to explore the geography, taxonomy, ecology and distribution patterns of 11,556 fungal taxa in metropolitan France. Our analysis reveals a four-phase pattern of temporal recording, with a main contribution of post-1977 observations in relation with the structuration of associative mycology. The dataset shows an uneven geography of fungal recording. Four clusters of high-intensity sampling scattered across France contrast with poorly documented areas, including the Mediterranean. Basidiomycota and Agaricales highly dominate the dataset, accounting for 88.8 and 50.4% of records, respectively. The dataset is composed of many rare taxa, with 61.2% of them showing fewer than 100 records, and 20.5% recorded only once. The analysis of metadata brings to light a preponderance of the mycorrhizal guild (44.6%), followed by litter saprotrophs (31.6%) and wood saprotrophs (18.1%). Highly documented forests (76.3% of records) contrast with poorly investigated artificial (6.43%) and open habitats (10.1%). This work provides the first comprehensive overview of fungal diversity in France and identifies the Mediterranean area and open habitats as priorities to integrate into a global strategy for fungal conservation in France.

Current and future diagnostic and treatment strategies for patients with invasive lobular breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) is the second most common type of breast cancer after invasive breast cancer of no special type (NST), representing up to 15% of all breast cancers.

DESIGN

Latest data on ILC are presented, focusing on diagnosis, molecular make-up according to the European Society for Medical Oncology Scale for Clinical Actionability of molecular Targets (ESCAT) guidelines, treatment in the early and metastatic setting and ILC-focused clinical trials.

RESULTS

At the imaging level, magnetic resonance imaging-based and novel positron emission tomography/computed tomography-based techniques can overcome the limitations of currently used imaging techniques for diagnosing ILC. At the pathology level, E-cadherin immunohistochemistry could help improving inter-pathologist agreement. The majority of patients with ILC do not seem to benefit as much from (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy as patients with NST, although chemotherapy might be required in a subset of high-risk patients. No differences in treatment efficacy are seen for anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) therapies in the adjuvant setting and cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors in the metastatic setting. The clinical utility of the commercially available prognostic gene expression-based tests is unclear for patients with ILC. Several ESCAT alterations differ in frequency between ILC and NST. Germline BRCA1 and PALB2 alterations are less frequent in patients with ILC, while germline CDH1 (gene coding for E-cadherin) alterations are more frequent in patients with ILC. Somatic HER2 mutations are more frequent in ILC, especially in metastases (15% ILC versus 5% NST). A high tumour mutational burden, relevant for immune checkpoint inhibition, is more frequent in ILC metastases (16%) than in NST metastases (5%). Tumours with somatic inactivating CDH1 mutations may be vulnerable for treatment with ROS1 inhibitors, a concept currently investigated in early and metastatic ILC.

CONCLUSION

ILC is a unique malignancy based on its pathological and biological features leading to differences in diagnosis as well as in treatment response, resistance and targets as compared to NST.

Ectomycorrhizal Networks in the Anthropocene: From Natural Ecosystems to Urban Planning

Trees acquire hydric and mineral soil resources through root mutualistic associations. In most boreal, temperate and Mediterranean forests, these functions are realized by a chimeric structure called ectomycorrhizae. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are highly diversified and vary widely in their specificity toward plant hosts. Reciprocally, association patterns of ECM plants range from highly specialist to generalist. As a consequence, ECM symbiosis creates interaction networks, which also mediate plant-plant nutrient interactions among different individuals and drive plant community dynamics. Our knowledge of ECM networks essentially relies on a corpus acquired in temperate ecosystems, whereas the below-ground facets of both anthropogenic ECM forests and inter-tropical forests remain poorly investigated. Here, we successively (1) review the current knowledge of ECM networks, (2) examine the content of early literature produced in ECM cultivated forests, (3) analyze the recent progress that has been made in understanding the place of ECM networks in urban soils, and (4) provide directions for future research based on the identification of knowledge gaps. From the examined corpus of knowledge, we reach three main conclusions. First, the emergence of metabarcoding tools has propelled a resurgence of interest in applying network theory to ECM symbiosis. These methods revealed an unexpected interconnection between mutualistic plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) herbaceous plants, embedding ECM mycelia through root-endophytic interactions. This affinity of ECM fungi to bind VA and ECM plants, raises questions on the nature of the associated functions. Second, despite the central place of ECM trees in cultivated forests, little attention has been paid to these man-made landscapes and in-depth research on this topic is lacking. Third, we report a lag in applying the ECM network theory to urban soils, despite management initiatives striving to interconnect motile organisms through ecological corridors, and the highly challenging task of interconnecting fixed organisms in urban greenspaces is discussed. In particular, we observe a pauperized nature of resident ECM inoculum and a spatial conflict between belowground human pipelines and ECM networks. Finally, we identify the main directions of future research to make the needed link between the current picture of plant functioning and the understanding of belowground ECM networks.

Microhabitat and ectomycorrhizal effects on the establishment, growth and survival of Quercus ilex L. seedlings under drought

The success of tree recruitment in Mediterranean holm oak (Quercus ilex) forests is threatened by the increasing intensity, duration and frequency of drought periods. Seedling germination and growth are modulated by complex interactions between abiotic (microhabitat conditions) and biotic factors (mycorrhiza association) that may mitigate the impacts of climate change on tree recruitment. To better understand and anticipate these effects, we conducted a germination experiment in a long-term precipitation reduction (PR) field experiment where we monitored seedling establishment and survival, micro-habitat conditions and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization by different mycelia exploration types during the first year of seedling growth. We hypothesized that (i) the PR treatment decreases seedling survival relative to the control with ambient conditions, (ii) microhabitat conditions of water and light availability are better predictors of seedling survival than the PR treatment, (iii) the PR treatment will favour the development of ECM exploration types with drought-resistance traits such as differentiated rhizomorphs. Contrary to our first hypothesis, seedling survival was lower in control plots with overall higher soil moisture. Micro-habitat light and soil moisture conditions were better predictors of seedling survival and growth than the plot-level PR treatment, confirming our second hypothesis. Furthermore, in line with our third hypothesis, we found that ECM with longer extramatrical mycelia were more abundant in the PR treatment plots and were positively correlated to survival, which suggests a potential role of this ECM exploration type in seedling survival and recruitment. Although summer drought was the main cause of seedling mortality, our study indicates that drier conditions in spring can increase seedling survival, presumably through a synergistic effect of drought adapted ECM species and less favourable conditions for root pathogens.

Soil spore bank in Tuber melanosporum: up to 42% of fruitbodies remain unremoved in managed truffle grounds

Fungi fruiting hypogeously are believed to form spore banks in soil especially because some fruitbodies are not removed by animals. However, little is known on the proportion of fruitbodies that are not removed by animals. We took advantage of the brûlé phenomenon, which allows delineation of the mycelium distribution, to assess the proportion of unremoved black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) fruitbodies in the context of plantations where fruitbodies are actively sought and harvested by truffle growers. We inspected portions of the brûlés after the harvest season to find unremoved fruitbodies. On average, from six truffle grounds in which a total of 38 brûlés were investigated, unremoved fruitbodies represented 33% of the whole fruitbody production (42% when averaging all the brûlés). We discuss this value and its high variability among truffle grounds. Beyond the local and variable accidental reasons that may lead to this high proportion, we speculate that the formation of some undetectable fruitbodies may be under selection pressure, given the reproductive biology of T. melanosporum.

Phylogenetic and distributional data on boletoid fungi (Boletaceae) in Cyprus and description of a new sampling methodology

The data presented here was obtained during a decade-long macromycete inventory on the island of Cyprus and is supplementary to the research article "Present status and future of boletoid fungi (Boletaceae) on the island of Cyprus: cryptic and threatened diversity unravelled by ten-year study" [1]. A new, rainfall-based sampling protocol for documenting fungal diversity in Mediterranean ecosystems, is described in detail.

Buckling of a spinning elastic cylinder: linear, weakly nonlinear and post-buckling analyses

An elastic cylinder spinning about a rigid axis buckles beyond a critical angular velocity, by an instability driven by the centrifugal force. This instability and the competition between the different buckling modes are investigated using analytical calculations in the linear and weakly nonlinear regimes, complemented by numerical simulations in the fully post-buckled regime. The weakly nonlinear analysis is carried out for a generic incompressible hyperelastic material. The key role played by the quadratic term in the expansion of the strain energy density is pointed out: this term has a strong effect on both the nature of the bifurcation, which can switch from supercritical to subcritical, and the buckling amplitude. Given an arbitrary hyperelastic material, an equivalent shear modulus is proposed, allowing the main features of the instability to be captured by an equivalent neo-Hookean model.

Considerations and consequences of allowing DNA sequence data as types of fungal taxa

Nomenclatural type definitions are one of the most important concepts in biological nomenclature. Being physical objects that can be re-studied by other researchers, types permanently link taxonomy (an artificial agreement to classify biological diversity) with nomenclature (an artificial agreement to name biological diversity). Two proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), allowing DNA sequences alone (of any region and extent) to serve as types of taxon names for voucherless fungi (mainly putative taxa from environmental DNA sequences), have been submitted to be voted on at the 11th International Mycological Congress (Puerto Rico, July 2018). We consider various genetic processes affecting the distribution of alleles among taxa and find that alleles may not consistently and uniquely represent the species within which they are contained. Should the proposals be accepted, the meaning of nomenclatural types would change in a fundamental way from physical objects as sources of data to the data themselves. Such changes are conducive to irreproducible science, the potential typification on artefactual data, and massive creation of names with low information content, ultimately causing nomenclatural instability and unnecessary work for future researchers that would stall future explorations of fungal diversity. We conclude that the acceptance of DNA sequences alone as types of names of taxa, under the terms used in the current proposals, is unnecessary and would not solve the problem of naming putative taxa known only from DNA sequences in a scientifically defensible way. As an alternative, we highlight the use of formulas for naming putative taxa (candidate taxa) that do not require any modification of the ICN.

Optimization of the method of the content-containing interaction evaluation for cosmetic products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

In July 2013, the European Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 came into effect in order to secure cosmetic products. The content-containing interaction between the packaging and the product must be considered for the safety assessment. Indeed, some compounds are able to migrate from the packaging to the product and may be harmful to the consumer health. This is why a first test was established by EXPERTOX laboratory in 2012 to deal with this new regulation. A new analytical method was developed and validated for the quantification of 23 substances able to migrate from the packaging to the product. It was applied on a plastic packaging with the five simulants of migration. To evaluate the content-containing interaction, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated. Liquid-liquid extraction was used to extract contaminants (thirteen phthalates and ten substances of very high concern) from migration simulants. Calibration curves showed good linearity regression from 2 to 50 μg mL-1 for nineteen molecules and from 5 to 45 μg mL-1 for the others. The limits of quantification were respectively 2 and 5 μg mL-1 . The accuracy, precision, repeatability of the analytical method and extraction yields were acceptable. No molecule was found in simulants of migration, so the potential contaminants present in the packaging did not migrate. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method and liquid-liquid extraction were validated for 23 molecules and can be used for the evaluation of the content-containing interaction of cosmetic products. Both quantification and extraction procedures are more robust and faster than previous method.

[Male neurogenic stress urinary incontinence treated by artificial urinary sphincter AMS 800™ (Boston Scientific, Boston, USA): Very long-term results (>25 years)]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to report the very long-term functional outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in male neurological patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Male neurological patients diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence due to sphincter deficiency and undergoing AUS (AMS 800^®) implantation between 1985 and 1992 were enrolled. Continence, defined by no pad/condom usage, explantation and revision rates were reported.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients with a median age of 27.3 years (IQR: 27.3-40.8) were included: four had a spinal cord injury and ten a spina bifida. Prior continence surgery was reported by 6 patients (42.9 %). Artificial urinary sphincter was implanted in a peribulbar (n=4) or periprostatic position (n=10). Median follow-up was 18.3 years (IQR: 10.1-20.3). At last follow-up, all patients were alive. Three native devices were still in place, eight were revised (four of them were secondarily explanted) and three were explanted due to erosion or infection. The 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-year explantation-free survival rates were respectively 85.7, 62.3, 52.0, 39.0 %. The 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-year revision-free survival rates were respectively 78.6, 42.9, 28.6, 7.1 %. At last follow-up, 50 % patients were continent.

CONCLUSION

In the very long run, AUS provided a 50 % continence rate in male neurological patients but the revision rates were important.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Direct and correlated responses to selection in two lines of rabbits selected for feed efficiency under ad libitum and restricted feeding: III. Digestion and excretion of nitrogen and minerals

Two rabbit lines have been created to result in better feed efficiency: the ConsoResidual line was selected for a lower residual feed intake under ad libitum feeding, and the ADGrestrict line was selected for higher ADG under restricted feeding (-20% of ad libitum). The present study aimed to analyze the digestion and excretion of N and minerals from 29 to 63 d of age of these 2 lines compared with an unselected control line (G0) under 2 feeding levels (ad libitum or restricted). The ADGrestrict line had greater digestibility compared with G0 (+1.3% for OM and N; < 0.05), and the ConsoResidual line had intermediate values. There was no genetic line effect on the digestibility of N and P and on minerals concentrations (P, Zn, and Cu) in the feces and in the urine. The N balance was improved for the 2 selected lines (+5%; < 0.05), leading to a reduced N output through the feces (0.06 g/d compared with G0; < 0.001) and the urine (-0.07 g/d; < 0.05) and to an improved N retention ratio (+3% compared with G0). Over the whole fattening period (d 29-63), significant differences were observed among lines only when fed ad libitum, with 13% greater DM fecal output and 5% greater N fecal output for G0. The N excretion in urine was 2 g less in the 2 selected lines, leading to a reduction of total N release of 4.4 g (compared with G0). The P excretion in feces (12 g) or urine (0.1 g) did not differ among the 3 lines. Over the whole fattening period and for ad libitum-fed rabbits, the 5% improvement in feed efficiency ( < 0.01) for the 2 selected lines corresponded to 400 g less feed intake (-8%) and to 20 g less N intake. The fecal excretion of the ADGrestrict and ConsoResidual lines were reduced by 200 g DM ( < 0.01), corresponding to 417 g fresh matter and 5 g of N. The excretion in minerals (P, Zn, and Cu) was not affected by the line. The feeding level strongly reduced the fecal and urine outputs (-50 and -60%, respectively; < 0.001). Higher digestibility coefficients ( < 0.001) were found in restricted-fed rabbits for OM (+6%), N (+8%), and P (+11%). The N balance was substantially improved by the restriction, with 40% less total (feces + urine) N excretion ( < 0.001). The P balance was improved by the restriction (0.469 vs. 0.360). Over the fattening period, the P fecal output was 37% less (-6 g) with 24% less feed intake and the Zn and Cu outputs were reduced by 27 (-130 mg) and 29% (-30 mg), respectively.

[Placement of tension-free vaginal tape in women with stress urinary incontinence: Long-term functional outcomes in a prospective series]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the long-term functional outcomes after retropubic tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) placement to treat female stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

METHODS

From September 1998 to September 2000, we prospectively enrolled all consecutive women in our center suffering SUI caused by urethral hypermobility. All women had a retropubic TVT inserted by the same surgeon. Patients were evaluated at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, and annually thereafter. Postoperative assessment included a measurement of post-voiding residual volume, urinalysis, a 1-hour pad test, a urinary symptom questionnaire, and an assessment of quality-of-life. Objective continence (defined as no urine leakage at clinical examination) and subjective continence (defined as no urine leakage, whatever the mechanism, reported by the patient) were reported.

RESULTS

Overall, 58 consecutive women (median age 59; IQR 49-67; min 21-max 78) were evaluated. Median follow-up was 10.2years (IQR 1.4-16.0; min 1-max 13.2). At the last follow-up, objective and subjective continence rates were 93% and 78%, respectively and remained stable in the long run. Pad tests, urinary symptom questionnaire scores and quality-of-life were significantly improved. Self-intermittent catheterisation was required by three women. A section of one TVT and removal of another tape was undertaken in two women with chronic pelvic pain. One patient had a chronic urinary infection. Rate of de novo urgency was 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

TVT implantation offered good and stable functional long-term outcomes. This procedure enhanced quality-of-life and had low morbidity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Black Truffle, a Hermaphrodite with Forced Unisexual Behaviour

The life cycle of the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) includes a mating before sporulation: although the species is hermaphroditic, mating turns out to involve parents with very different features, that mostly behave as male or female only, suggesting that this species undergoes forced dioecism.

The genus Elaphomyces (Ascomycota, Eurotiales): a ribosomal DNA-based phylogeny and revised systematics of European 'deer truffles'

Elaphomyces ('deer truffles') is one of the most important ectomycorrhizal fungal genera in temperate and subarctic forest ecosystems, but also one of the least documented in public databases. The current systematics are mainly based on macromorphology, and is not significantly different from that proposed by Vittadini (1831). Within the 49 species recognised worldwide, 23 were originally described from Europe and 17 of these were described before the 20th century. Moreover, very recent phylogenetic treatments of the genus are mainly based on a few extra-European species and most common European species are still poorly documented. Based on an extensive taxonomic sampling mainly made in the biogeographically rich Cantabrian area (Spain), complemented with collections from France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, all currently recognized species in Europe have been sequenced at the ITS and 28S of the rDNA. Combined phylogenetic analyses yielded molecular support to sections Elaphomyces and Ceratogaster (here emended), while a third, basal lineage encompasses the sections Malacodermei and Ascoscleroderma as well as the tropical genus Pseudotulostoma. Species limits are discussed and some taxa formerly proposed as genuine species based on morphology and biogeography are re-evaluated as varieties or forms. Spore size and ornamentation, features of the peridial surface, structure of the peridium, and the presence of mycelium patches attached to the peridial surface emerge as the most significant systematic characters. Four new species: E. barrioi, E. quercicola, E. roseolus and E. violaceoniger, one new variety: E. papillatus var. sulphureopallidus, and two new forms: E. granulatus forma pallidosporus and E. anthracinus forma talosporus are introduced, as well as four new combinations in the genus: E. muricatus var. reticulatus, E. muricatus var. variegatus, E. papillatus var. striatosporus and E. morettii var. cantabricus. Lectotypes and epitypes are designated for most recognised species. For systematic purposes, new infrageneric taxa are introduced: E. sect. Ascoscleroderma stat. nov., E. subsect. Sclerodermei stat. nov., E. subsect. Maculati subsect. nov., E. subsect. Muricati subsect. nov., and E. subsect. Papillati subsect. nov. Lastly, E.laevigatus, E. sapidus, E. sulphureopallidus and E. trappei are excluded from the genus and referred to Rhizopogon roseolus, Astraeus sapidus comb. nov., Astraeus hygrometricus and Terfezia trappei comb. nov. (syn.: Terfezia cistophila), respectively.

Cost and impact of policies to remove and reduce fees for obstetric care in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco

BACKGROUND

Across the Africa region and beyond, the last decade has seen many countries introducing policies aimed at reducing financial barriers to obstetric care. This article provides evidence of the cost and effects of national policies focussed on improving financial access to caesarean and facility deliveries in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco.

METHODS

The study uses a comparative case study design with mixed methods, including realist evaluation components. This article presents results across 14 different data collection tools, used in 4-6 research sites in each of the four study countries over 2011-13. The methods included: document review; interviews with key informants; analysis of secondary data; structured extraction from medical files; cross-sectional surveys of patients and staff; interviews with patients and observation of care processes.

RESULTS

The article finds that the policies have contributed to continued increases in skilled birth attendance and caesarean sections and a narrowing of inequalities in all four countries, but these trends were already occurring so a shift cannot be attributed solely to the policies. It finds a significant reduction in financial burdens on households after the policy, suggesting that the financial protection objectives may have been met, at least in the short term, although none achieved total exemption of targeted costs. Policies are domestically financed and are potentially sustainable and efficient, and were relatively thoroughly implemented. Further, we find no evidence of negative effects on technical quality of care, or of unintended negative effects on untargeted services.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the policies were effective in meeting financial protection goals and probably health and equity goals, at sustainable cost, but that a range of measures could increase their effectiveness and equity. These include broadening the exempted package (especially for those countries which focused on caesarean sections alone), better calibrated payments, clearer information on policies, better stewardship of the local health system to deal with underlying systemic weaknesses, more robust implementation of exemptions for indigents, and paying more attention to quality of care, especially for newborns.

Responses of orchids to habitat change in Corsica over 27 years

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Orchids are known to be particularly sensitive to environmental changes due to their narrow ranges of secondary successional habitats. Lack of data at the community level limits our ability to evaluate how traits of different species influence their responses to habitat change. Here, we used a diachronic survey of Mediterranean orchid communities in Corsica to examine this question.

METHODS

Using data from two field surveys conducted 27 years apart (1982-84 and 2009-11) at the same 45 sites in Corsica, we evaluated the impact of increase in woody plant cover (WPC) on (i) the richness and composition and (ii) the local extinction/colonization dynamics of orchids. We applied a Bayesian multispecies site-occupancy model to each of the 36 orchid species recorded at these sites to estimate the detection probability of each species, enabling us to account for under-detection in estimating their dynamics.

KEY RESULTS

Between 1982 and 2011, WPC changed at 82·3 % of sites (increasing at 75·6 %, decreasing at 6·7 %). Despite marked changes in composition of orchid communities at the local scale, no significant change was detected in species richness at the regional scale. Canopy closure affected the probability of new colonization of sites, but had no significant influence on the probability of local extinction. However, the abundance of shade-intolerant species declined more sharply than that of shade-requiring species. Among orchid species, the detection probability was significantly and positively correlated with population density and plant height.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals contrasted dynamics of orchid communities between local and regional scales in Corsica. Although high turnover in communities was found at the local scale, regional species richness was maintained despite major land-use changes. Conserving landscape mosaics could provide locally suitable habitats for orchids of different ecologies to maintain diversity at larger spatial scales.

Soil DNA pyrosequencing and fruitbody surveys reveal contrasting diversity for various fungal ecological guilds in chestnut orchards

Fungal diversity in Mediterranean forest soils is poorly documented, particularly when considering saprobic and pathogenic organisms. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods applied to soil fungi provide the opportunity to unveil the most inconspicuous functional guilds (e.g. saprobes) and life forms (e.g. Corticiaceae) of this tremendous diversity. We used fruitbody surveys over 2 years and soil 454 metabarcoding in Castanea sativa orchards to evaluate respectively the reproductive (fruitbodies) and vegetative (mycelia) parts of fungal communities in three 100-year-old stands. Analysis of 839 fruitbodies and 210 291 ITS1 reads revealed high fungal diversity, mainly shown by belowground analysis, with high (dominant) abundance of mycorrhizal fruitbodies and reads. Both methods displayed contrasted composition and structure of fungal communities, with Basidio- and Ascomycetes dominating above- and belowground, respectively. For the two dominant fungal guilds (i.e. ectomycorrhizal and saprobic), diversity above- and belowground overlapped weakly. This study is the first assessment of the complementarity of fruitbody surveys and NGS for analysing fungal diversity in Mediterranean ecosystems and shows that belowground methods still need to be completed by fruiting diversity to provide a comprehensive overview of the different fungal guilds. The results shed light on chestnut soil biodiversity and question the spatial distribution and synergies among fungal guilds.

Beyond ectomycorrhizal bipartite networks: projected networks demonstrate contrasted patterns between early- and late-successional plants in Corsica

The ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbiosis connects mutualistic plants and fungal species into bipartite networks. While links between one focal ECM plant and its fungal symbionts have been widely documented, systemic views of ECM networks are lacking, in particular, concerning the ability of fungal species to mediate indirect ecological interactions between ECM plant species (projected-ECM networks). We assembled a large dataset of plant-fungi associations at the species level and at the scale of Corsica using molecular data and unambiguously host-assigned records to: (i) examine the correlation between the number of fungal symbionts of a plant species and the average specialization of these fungal species, (ii) explore the structure of the plant-plant projected network and (iii) compare plant association patterns in regard to their position along the ecological succession. Our analysis reveals no trade-off between specialization of plants and specialization of their partners and a saturation of the plant projected network. Moreover, there is a significantly lower-than-expected sharing of partners between early- and late-successional plant species, with fewer fungal partners for early-successional ones and similar average specialization of symbionts of early- and late-successional plants. Our work paves the way for ecological readings of Mediterranean landscapes that include the astonishing diversity of below-ground interactions.

Large scale survey of enteric viruses in river and waste water underlines the health status of the local population

Although enteric viruses constitute a major cause of acute waterborne diseases worldwide, environmental data about occurrence and viral load of enteric viruses in water are not often available. In this study, enteric viruses (i.e., adenovirus, aichivirus, astrovirus, cosavirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A and E viruses, norovirus of genogroups I and II, rotavirus A and salivirus) were monitored in the Seine River and the origin of contamination was untangled. A total of 275 water samples were collected, twice a month for one year, from the river Seine, its tributaries and the major WWTP effluents in the Paris agglomeration. All water samples were negative for hepatitis A and E viruses. AdV, NVGI, NVGII and RV-A were the most prevalent and abundant populations in all water samples. The viral load and the detection frequency increased significantly between the samples collected the most upstream and the most downstream of the Paris urban area. The calculated viral fluxes demonstrated clearly the measurable impact of WWTP effluents on the viral contamination of the Seine River. The viral load was seasonal for almost all enteric viruses, in accordance with the gastroenteritis recordings provided by the French medical authorities. These results implied the existence of a close relationship between the health status of inhabitants and the viral contamination of WWTP effluents and consequently surface water contamination. Subsequently, the regular analysis of wastewater could serve as a proxy for the monitoring of the human viruses circulating in both a population and surface water.

True morels (Morchella, Pezizales) of Europe and North America: evolutionary relationships inferred from multilocus data and a unified taxonomy

Applying early names, with or without original material, to genealogical species is challenging. For morels this task is especially difficult because of high morphological stasis and high plasticity of apothecium color and shape. Here we propose a nomenclatural revision of true morels (Morchella, Pezizales) from Europe and North America, based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of portions of the genes for RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) and second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor-1α (TEF1), the nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, along with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), and partial nuc 28S rDNA D1-D2 domains (28S). The 107 newly sequenced collections were from both continents, including 48 types, together with previously published sequences. Names are applied to 30 of the 65 currently recognized genealogical species. Results of the present study revealed that the number of Morchella species in Europe (n = 21) is nearly identical to that in North America (n = 22). Only seven species were found on both continents, consistent with previous reports of high continental endemism within the genus. Presently it is not possible to tell whether the transoceanic disjunctions were due to human activities, migration across a Bering land bridge or long-distance dispersal. In an effort to stabilize the taxonomy, due in part to the recent publication of synonyms for 11 of the species, accepted names are presented together with their corresponding later synonyms. A new subclade that includes holotypes of M. castanea and M. brunneorosea is identified in sect. Morchella (Esculenta Clade). Lectotypes for Morchella deliciosa, M. eximia and M. tridentina are designated here, as well as epitypes for M. dunalii, M. eximia, M. purpurascens and M. vulgaris. Morchella conica was determined to be illegitimate, and further research is required to determine the identity of M. elata and M. inamoena.